Loud
by GaiaOne
Summary: Sookie and Bill deal with the aftermath of Dallas Slight A/U. No maenad
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing TB. Just getting antsy for the new season.

I don't know where this is going yet. Will try not to write myself into a corner. Hope you enjoy..

Things were quiet in the bar. The customers were gone for the night and only a few members of the staff remained to finish preparations for the next day.

Tara wiped down the bar and tossed the towel onto her shoulder. She was doing her prep work while watching Sookie out of the corner of her eye. Sookie had seemed to be out of sorts all day, but Tara just couldn't quite make out what it was. She loved Sookie like a sister and was closer to her than anyone. She didn't want to pry, but something wasn't right and she was frustrated that she couldn't put her finger on the problem.

Sookie finished her own prep and headed toward the office to retrieve her purse and head for home. As she came out of the back and walked out the door to the parking lot, she hollered, "'Nite Sam. 'Nite Tara."

"G'nite Sookie," called Tara.

"'Nite Sooks," Sam said over his shoulder as he restocked the cooler.

Tara wiped down the already clean bar. She had been stalling for time to talk to Sam until Sookie had gone. "Sam, how does Sookie look to you?"

"What?"

"I said, how does Sookie look to you?"

"She looks like she always does, I guess. Why?"

"I'm worried. She ain't been looking right. She looks tired all the time. And she seems distracted. Half the time I talk to her she ain't hearing a word I say. Lafayette says she doesn't hear him, either. He has to call out the orders twice before she even hears the call, and y'all know that ain't like her."

Sam grunted and kept working.

Tara leaned on the bar. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"What do you think, Sam?"

"Y'all don't want to know what I think."

Tara rolled her eyes at Sam in exasperation. "If I didn't want to know, I wouldn't have asked. Spill, Sam."

Sam slammed the empty box on the bar. "Tara, I don't know what y'all want to hear. I've been saying it over and over. Mixing with vamps is just no damned good. What the hell did y'all think would happen when Sookie got mixed up with that damned bloodsucker? She looks tired? Of course she's tired. She's probably up all night with him, every night, then running errands during the day and working full time here. How long can she keep it up? And that's just because vamps don't sleep at night. Don't even get me started on the rest of it..."

"Well hell, Sam, don't let me stop you..."

"...she's been hurt how many times? He's got her mixed up in all that vampire shit. Just being around 'em puts her in danger. First that mess with Rene, and then she damned near got blown to bits in Dallas! And don't you think for a minute he ain't been feeding off her. Nothing about her being with a vamp is any good. It's gonna get her killed, or worse."

"She loves him, Sam. And it seems pretty clear that Bill loves her."

"Well, it's no good. No damned good at all. If he really cared about her he would just leave her be." Fuming, Sam gathered up the empty boxes and headed out back to break them down.

Tara watched him go, Sam's rant having done nothing to help her figure out what was wrong with her friend. She grabbed her keys and her purse and headed home herself, muttering under her breath as she walked out of the bar. "Sam, y'all are one hell of a sore loser..."


	2. Chapter 2

Sam dropped his armload of empty boxes onto the pile next to the dumpster, resisting the urge to kick them across the lot. He knew from past experience it wouldn't make him feel one bit better and he'd just have to chase after them.

_What the hell is wrong with me? I had no business snapping at Tara like that..._

Sam ran his hands through his hair and took a deep breath, trying to pull himself together. Tara was right about Sookie. He had noticed it himself. Usually sharp and confident, she had been slipping lately. He'd even had a couple of customers ask him if she was OK – not that he would admit it to Tara. She had no qualms about prying into anyone's personal life, and when it came to Sookie, that was still just one big hurt. He still loved Sookie. He always would. But he had lost any chance with her the night Compton had come into his bar. Forced to be honest with himself, he had to admit that being with that damned vampire had made her happier than she had ever been and, until they had returned from Dallas, she had been doing better than she ever had. Just being with Bill had given her a break from the constant tumult of voices forcing their way into her mind.

_Aw hell, Sam. 'Stead of hollerin' at Tara, y'all ought to take your own advice. If you care as much about her as you claim you'd want her to be happy. Might as well admit it. You know how hard it is for Sookie to keep everybody out of her head. Y'all might be able to love her as much as Compton does, but you can't turn off the noise for her like he can._

Capitulating to his conscience, Sam let out a long, weary sigh. "Damn. I guess I'm gonna have to apologize to Tara." Sam continued to berate himself under his breath as he started to break down the boxes and toss them into the trash.


	3. Chapter 3

Sookie pulled her car up to the house and turned off the ignition. She didn't get out right away. She was bone tired, and she needed a minute to scrape up the energy to climb the steps of her porch. She couldn't ever remember being this tired. She'd had a headache all day, and it was getting harder and harder to keep her guard up. She wasn't usually afflicted with headaches, but this one had come on in Dallas. Being in the middle of a building when some damned fool decided to blow it up could do that to a person. It wasn't too bad, but it wasn't going away, either. Day after day it nagged at her, wearing her down bit by bit like water flowing over stone, and by now she was just worn out.

Sookie got out of her car and walked into the house. As usual, she kicked off her shoes as soon as she walked in. She dropped her purse and her keys on the floor next to them, not even bothering to hang them on the rack near the door. She was thirsty and tired. _Something cold...but no caffeine or I won't be able to get a bit of sleep,_ she thought to herself, even though the idea of sleep and her recurring nightmares didn't appeal to her. Walking to the fridge, she took out the orange juice and poured herself a glass. _This should give me a lift...I'll need a little energy for Bill,_ she thought with a smile. She sat down at the table with her drink, waiting for Bill and trying to unwind after the long day.

When Bill arrived at Sookie's house, she was still in the kitchen. That was where he found her; asleep with her head on the kitchen table, her untouched glass of juice in her hand. Bill looked at her tenderly, then picked her up and carried her to her room. She obviously needed the rest and he was afraid that he might wake her, but he needn't have worried. She was in a deep sleep and completely unaware of his presence. She didn't wake when he carried her into her room. She didn't wake when he undressed her, clothed her in her nightgown, and tucked her into bed. She didn't wake as he stretched out beside her, stroking her hair and watching her sleep until dawn approached and he had to go to ground.


	4. Chapter 4

Sookie woke at her usual time. In spite of the nightmare that had startled her awake – again – she felt better and more rested. She still had her headache, but knowing she wouldn't have to go into the bar to work that day made it more bearable. She didn't remember getting ready for bed. She didn't remember much of anything after walking into the house. She didn't even remember seeing Bill – he was supposed to come over.

She was glad for the rest, but not seeing Bill the previous night unsettled her. Any time she missed spending with him left her feeling empty and disappointed, and she wished the nights were longer. Nightfall couldn't come soon enough, but dawn always came too quickly.

Sookie felt grimy. She hadn't washed after work the night before, so she quickly hopped in the shower to scrub the odor of stale beer and old grease off her skin. She washed her hair twice just to get the smell out. She wanted to smell good for Bill, so she took extra care; his senses were so acute. Besides, she didn't much care to smell like old burgers and beer herself.

After drying off, Sookie stood naked before the mirror and took a good, hard look at herself. She didn't see anything special about her body. She looked to herself like an ordinary young woman, neither too plain nor too pretty. She thought herself just a tad too short, but with a fair figure and a decent complexion. She felt that her best feature was her smile, and she liked the funky gap between her teeth. She acknowledged herself as pretty enough to attract attention, but not pretty enough to keep it. Sookie's grandmother had raised her with a straightforward honesty, and had been as quick to point out her good qualities as her bad; but Gran always had put more emphasis on soul and character than on appearance, calling it the kind of beauty that grew with age instead of fading. As a result, Sookie had grown up without being more than minimally distracted by physical appearance.

Until she met Bill.

For some reason she just couldn't fathom, Bill thought she was beautiful. She couldn't see it, herself, but when she was with him she sure felt beautiful.

As for Bill, Sookie had thought him unbelievably handsome the first time she saw him. His amazing blue eyes, dark hair, and pale complexion completely captivated her. She could stare at him for hours. He had a lean, well-muscled body honestly earned through hard, physical labor in his human life, a physique he kept as a result of his turning. Just thinking about him was enough to make her blush.

Sookie combed out her hair and returned to her bedroom where she dressed casually for the day. She had a lot of errands to run and chores to finish, and she wanted to make sure there was nothing left over to interfere with her time with Bill.

Walking into the kitchen, Sookie prepared to make herself a big breakfast– bacon, eggs, grits, juice, and coffee. She had to maintain her strength, after all. She had a vampire to keep up with. Sookie smiled to herself and, as she thought of Bill, her smile expanded into a full grin. As she turned to get the eggs and bacon from the fridge, she found a note on the door from her vampire:

_ Sweetheart – _

_ You were asleep when I arrived and I didn't have the heart to wake you. _

_ See you just after dark._

_ Bill_

_Well, that explains how I ended up in bed without remembering how I got there,_ Sookie thought. She didn't know whether to be pleased at his thoughtfulness or pissed that he hadn't taken advantage of her. _Geeze, Sookie. Get a grip._

Sookie had been a virgin in more ways than one when she first met Bill. Not just sexually inexperienced, she also had been unable to develop even the most superficial of romantic relationships. It was a constant struggle for her to keep her guard up, to keep out the invasive thoughts of others. It took all of her energy to concentrate hard enough to keep the noise of other people's unspoken thoughts from overwhelming her. Some days, just being around people was absolutely exhausting and all she wanted was to escape.

Sookie had never met a vampire until the first night Bill came into Sam's bar and she happened to be working. She had been excited at the novelty occasioned by the vampire community revealing itself to the world, and excited also when she realized Bon Temps had its first resident vampire. What she hadn't expected was to be so completely taken aback when she realized that she didn't have to keep her guard up with him. There was no mental noise from him at all – not even a whisper. For the first time in her life, Sookie didn't have to work at blocking outside thoughts from battering their way past her defenses. Even if she tried, she could get nothing from Bill. His thoughts were his own. As she got to know him, she discovered that just being with him, even around others, was enough to quiet the noise and give her some peace. It was as if he possessed an aura of silence, and for Sookie to be near him was to be enveloped by that mantle of quietude.

For Sookie, this wasn't just a novelty – it was magic. It was inevitable that she would fall in love with him, and fall hard. Even without her strong sexual attraction to Bill, he also provided her with mystery and the unique experience of needing time to get to know him.

And to her astonishment, Bill loved her in return. When he met her, he had been amused by the fact that this slip of a girl had no fear of him. Amusement soon turned to wonder when he understood that she couldn't be glamoured and that her feelings for him were sincere. She accepted him just as he was. She treated him no differently than she treated anyone else. Her anger with him could be as passionate as her love for him. Her depth of feeling was so strong and so genuine that, for the first time since he had been turned, Bill had begun to accept what he was – because Sookie did.

With the underpinnings of such a strong emotional attachment between the two, Sookie and Bill couldn't get enough of each other. Sookie had willingly given Bill her virginity, and Bill had taken special care to make her first sexual experience memorable. He had nearly 200 years of sexual experience to draw on, and he knew how to please a woman. Sookie, for her part, surprised Bill with her enthusiasm. She trusted him completely and wanted to please him in turn. With no preconceptions, deep love, and a fearless nature, she was eager to learn whatever Bill could teach her. Vampire sexual desire was as insatiable as it was legendary, and both Bill and Sookie were elated to discover that Sookie's sexual appetite for Bill was as great as his for her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry some of the previous chapters were short. They just seem to break where they break. Like I said, I am not sure where this is going yet, and I will try not to write myself into a corner. Thanks for the reviews and the encouragement-**

Sookie was washing up after breakfast when she heard Tara at the door. "Sook? Y'all home?"

"Yeah, Tara. Come on in. Did you have breakfast? There's fresh coffee."

"Uh-huh. Y'all sound just like your grandma, wantin' to feed everybody." Tara put her purse and keys on the counter, then poured herself a cup of coffee and set it on the table.

"I never thought of that. She'd be pleased, I guess. I didn't think you'd be out and about yet. You closed the bar last night."

"Yeah, well, so did you..."

"But I'm off today. You have another late shift tonight, right?"

Tara didn't answer. She looked at Sookie with her eyebrows raised. Sookie stopped what she was doing and looked back, confused.

"What? Y'all are looking at me like there's a bug on me or something."

"I've been tryin' to figure it out for days, but it's about to make me crazy, so I figured I'd just come over here and ask."

Sookie was completely bewildered. "Huh?"

"Sookie, what the hell is going on with you? Y'all haven't been yourself since you came back from Dallas. We've all noticed. When I ask y'all anything at the bar, you don't hear me. Same for Lafayette and Arlene. Even Sam can see it, though he won't admit it. You're slipping. So give. What's going on?"

"Oh my lord, Tara. Have I been that bad? I thought I was doing better than that..." Mortified, Sookie dried her hands and hung up the towel. She took a few seconds to collect herself, then turned away from the sink to face Tara. She leaned back against the drainboard and brushed her hair back.

"Something wrong between you and Bill?"

"What? No! Nothing like that." A shy smile crept over her face, and she blushed. "Bill and I are fine."

Tara just waited, hands on hips, willing Sookie to speak.

Sookie knew Tara well enough to realize that unless she got an answer, she would just keep pestering her. So taking a breath, she told her. "It's just a headache. I've had it since Dallas. It's not bad or anything, but it just won't go away. Makes it hard to focus, that's all. It's hard to keep the thoughts out of my head."

Tara's stomach knotted in fear. "Damn Sookie! You almost got killed down there. Y'all been checked out? You could have a brain hemorrhage or something. Please tell me y'all went to the hospital."

"Of course I did, Tara! All the humans who were there were checked out at the ER in Dallas before we went to the hotel. Godric insisted." Sookie didn't mention that Bill was adamant she feed from him, as well, just in case.

"So you're all right then?"

"According to the docs in Dallas, I'm fine. It's just going to take some time, that's all."

Tara willed herself to relax. "Well. OK then. I feel better now that I know what's going on," she lied. Tara sat at the table and slurped her hot coffee while Sookie finished wiping down the counter and the kitchen table. As she draped the cloth over the faucet, Tara changed the subject. "Did Bill come over last night?"

"Yeah, he did, but I missed him." She poured herself some coffee and sat down with Tara. Tara looked her question, and Sookie responded. "I guess I was more tired than I thought. He left me a note on the fridge door. Apparently, I was asleep when he got here, so he undressed me and put me to bed."

"You're kidding..."

"Nope, I'm not. I still don't know whether I'm happy he let me sleep or ticked off that he didn't wake me. But he left me a note. He's coming by tonight."

"Well, as far as I'm concerned, when a guy is more worried about you than himself, he's a keeper. Bill doesn't have a darker twin brother he could dig up for me someplace, does he? Buried and forgotten out back in the cemetery, maybe?"

Sookie chuckled. "Not that I know of. Besides, I thought vampires scared you."

"Yeah, they do. But you know something, Sook? It's damned pitiful when the live guys around here are outclassed by a dead one. Just pitiful. Y'all think they'd have an edge, still breathing and all – especially since they got all those hours of daylight to work with. Vampires scare the living hell out of me. But with the pickings around here so slim, I am reconsidering my position."

"I don't think Bill being dead has much to do with it. I think he probably was a gentleman when he was alive, too."

Tara paused over her coffee for a moment, lost in thought. "Did y'all ever in your life think we'd be sitting around your kitchen talking about dead folk like this? Walking dead folk, I mean. If it wasn't for real, I'd think I was in one of those old B movies they made back in the 50s or 60s. I keep waiting for that Peter Cushing fella to jump out at me from behind something that needs dusting real bad."

Sookie laughed.


	6. Chapter 6

Tara and Sookie returned from the grocery store and Tara helped Sookie put away her purchases. In spite of Sookie's reassurances, Tara was still worried. She had noted the fatigue on Sookie's face and had insisted on helping her with her shopping.

Sookie stashed the bread in the pantry as Tara put away the last of the canned goods. "Thanks for the help, Tara. I hate for y'all to give up your free time on something like this, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't need it."

"It's OK, Sook. Y'all been there for me plenty of times. And your grandma, too." They finished up and Sookie poured them each an iced tea, and they sat in the living room so Sookie could rest a bit. She lounged on the sofa with her glass in hand, while Tara plunked herself into a in a chair with her feet propped up on the coffee table. After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Tara spoke. "Your Gran would be madder'n hell at me if she saw my feet on her table..."

"Good thing she's not here, then. I'm so tired, Tara, I don't think I could even come to your defense."

"Sook, I know what y'all told me this morning, about the headaches, and all. But is there something else? I know I'm sticking my nose where it doesn't belong, but you know how I worry. And with your grandma gone, there's one less person to watch out for you. I'm only asking in out of self-preservation, you understand. She'll come back to haunt me if I don't look out for you."

"Yeah, I know. It's not just the headache, but that's part of it."

"Y'all feel like talking about it?"

"Yeah, I guess so. But please, please don't tell anybody. I couldn't stand anybody else knowing. Bill knows, but I don't like to talk to him about it 'cause he worries about me so much, or gets mad about what happened. I don't want to waste our time together with all that."

"So what else is going on?"

"Mostly, I can't sleep. Well, I can, I guess. But ever since that darn bombing, I've been having the most awful nightmares. I sleep OK at first, for an hour or two, but then they start up again. They wake me up every time I close my eyes. The same nightmares, over and over. One or another, sometimes all mixed up into one. It's getting so bad that I don't even want to think about sleep."

"Y'all can't live without sleep, Sookie."

"I know. That's probably why Bill didn't wake me when he found me asleep last night." Sookie sipped at her tea absently.

"Well, if you sleep OK at first, maybe y'all can try a nap here or there. Get a bit of sleep and wake up before the nastiness starts."

"It's worth trying, I guess." Sookie sipped at her glass again and set it on the table.

"Damn. No wonder you're worn out, Sook. What's Bill think?"

"He thinks they'll go away eventually, and he's probably right. I just wish they would quit, already."

"What kind are they?"

"Horrible, Tara. Just horrible. I keep seeing all those bodies, blood and bits of people and vampires on the walls, people I'd just been talking to, and me lying there, helpless, pinned down and unable to move."

Sookie's face was devoid of emotion as she spoke, and that, more than her words, told Tara that she was seeing it all again. Her body was in Bon Temps, but her thoughts were back in Dallas. Sookie had told Tara and Sam what had happened there, but it had been a bare-bones version and she hadn't gone into a lot of detail.

"I'm so sorry, Sookie. Can I help? Y'all want me to stay over? Or do y'all want to stay at my place? Maybe having somebody else around would do you some good. If I was here I could help with the chores, at least, so maybe you could rest a bit."

"No, thanks Tara. Bill's right. They'll go away eventually. I'll just have to wait it out."

Sookie's expression became, if anything, more withdrawn and she sat motionless for a moment. Then she began speaking again, her voice dropping to a whisper. "It's the other thing. I just can't get over the other thing..." Tears began to silently stream down her face. Tara put her tea down and sat straight up, pulling her feet from the table and leaning forward, all her attention focused on Sookie.

"What other thing, Sookie? What the hell else could've happened that was worse than getting blown to smithereens?"

Sookie told her, then, of Eric's deception, of the trick he had played on her in Dallas after the explosion, and the consequences she could expect. Tara hadn't known about the effect of vampire blood on a human when it came directly from the vampire, and Sookie deliberately omitted much. She had promised Bill never to reveal the healing properties of the blood; she well knew the danger he would be in should she ever reveal that part of it. But she did tell her that Eric could now track her. He was her permanent voyeur, aware of her every emotion, knowing everything she did, everywhere she was. Unlike Sookie, whose gift required the close physical presence of those whose thoughts she read, Eric had no such handicap. She also told her of the unwilling, unwanted, and disturbing sexual nightmares involving Eric.

Tara was dumbfounded.

Then she was livid.

"What the hell? Y'all mean to tell me that son of a bitch did this to you after you went down there to help find that Godric fella he was so worried about? To get back at Bill? Why that goddamned, mother fuckin'..." Tara launched herself out of her chair, planted herself firmly on the sofa, and wrapped her arms tightly around a trembling Sookie who was now sobbing quietly. Her mind was absolutely spinning. She had never been so angry in her life.

_That fucker raped her. He didn't rape her body, but the effect is just the same. That son of a bitch..._

Tara held Sookie for a long time, comforting her as well as she could. She was determined to do something, anything, to help her friend through this ongoing horror, but she had no clue where to begin.

_I have to talk to Bill._


	7. Chapter 7

Tara stayed with Sookie, listening and talking with her while Sookie unburdened herself. It had taken most of the day, but eventually Sookie had begun to feel better. Tara still had enough time to get home, get ready for work, and head out to start her shift at the bar.

"You off to Merlotte's now?" Sookie asked.

"Yeah, Sook. I'm closing at the bar tonight. Sam'll madder than hell if I'm late again. You sure y'all are going to be OK? I can call in sick if you need me..."

"No thanks, Tara. I'll be fine. I feel better just being able to talk about it. It doesn't fix anything, but it helps all the same. Besides, Bill will be over in a couple of hours." Sookie brushed her hair back from her face and dabbed her eyes one last time.

"Well, y'all better wash your face, then. You look just terrible after all that crying. Good thing Bill's dead or you'd scare the life right out of him." Tara stood up, stretched, and then walked into the kitchen to collect her purse.

Sookie smiled, a little half-heartedly. "Yeah, I guess you're right. No point in hiding it though. Bill can always tell. I think I'll try taking a nap about an hour or so before he gets here, and give your idea a try. Maybe I can get a little rest and Bill can wake me before the nightmares start." Sookie rose and followed Tara to the back door.

"OK then. I'm just a phone call away if y'all need anything." Tara turned to Sookie and hugged her friend fiercely one more time before leaving. Her head was full of thoughts but she couldn't seem to settle on just one, which was a good thing, at least until she got out of range of Sookie's talent.


	8. Chapter 8

Bill walked into Sookie's house shortly after nightfall. He knew she was home; he could feel her. Her car was parked out front, but she wasn't outside and he didn't see her in the house. "Sookie?" Only one small lamp was lit, and that one was on an end table in the living room. Walking into the kitchen, Bill spotted a note on the fridge – just where he had left his the night before.

_Bill – wanted to take a nap so I could spend the whole night with you. Please wake me._

_Your Sookie_

Smiling, Bill eagerly climbed the kitchen stairs to Sookie's bedroom. She still hadn't moved into her Gran's old room, preferring for the time being to stay in her own room at the top of the stairs where it caught every stray summer breeze. Bill quietly opened the door and saw Sookie soundly asleep on the bed, clad in just her short nightgown.

There was no light in the room, not even moonlight to soften the shadows, but the starlight through the open windows was more than sufficient for Bill to see her with vampire eyes. _She is so, so beautiful..._ he thought to himself as he admired her pale hair all a-tangle across her pillow. Bill had smelled her before he even entered the house; the clean smell of her skin and the overwhelmingly enticing odor of her blood wafting from every part of her. He stripped off his clothing, laying it carefully across the chair of Sookie's dressing table, and silently stretched out on the bedspread next to her, stroking her cheek with a feather-light touch. Leaning over her, he inhaled her scent. He couldn't get enough of it. Just the smell of her was enough to arouse him, and he grew hard immediately. He could feel the warmth roll off her skin, and he closed his eyes momentarily, reveling in her odor and her heat. He took the hem of her nightgown between his fingers and carefully lifted it up above her breasts, devouring her with his eyes as she slept.

As he took in every inch of her naked form, Bill surprised himself. _If I had never been turned, I never would have met her._ _I would have lived and died an ordinary life without ever having loved her, and without her loving me_. For the first time, he actually was thankful he had been turned, and the thought was so unexpected that if he'd still had breath, it would have caught.

Bill was filled with an overwhelming gratitude for this woman and the love she had for him. She had been so tired since coming back from the fiasco in Dallas. She hadn't had any restful sleep since the bombing. Every time she awoke it was with a nightmare – either from the memory of broken, burned bodies or with the fear of what Eric's blood would do to her. Just the thought of Eric's deception toward his human could send Bill into a rage, but he deliberately put his anger aside and controlled himself, unwilling to disturb the woman next to him.

Bill wondered if it was possible to give her some pleasure without waking her, some way to give her something better than a nightmare to color her sleep. He smiled to himself, and spent the next few minutes watching her slumber and devising a way to do this small thing for her.


	9. Chapter 9

Ever so lightly, Bill stroked the thatch of soft hair between Sookie's thighs. She sighed in her sleep, shifting slightly. He gently cupped her mound, exerting the lightest pressure. Her warmth filled his palm as his hand lingered there. He carefully extended his fingers, stroking her folds slowly to arouse her without waking her. Bill leaned over and delicately kissed her breasts, barely touching her nipples, which pebbled and hardened at the touch of his lips. She inhaled deeply, causing her breasts to rise toward his mouth, and whispered his name in her sleep, "Bill..."

Bill sat up slowly, carefully moving her legs just enough to position himself between them. Touching her gently, he checked her wetness and was pleased that even in sleep she was ready for him. He placed the head of his engorged penis between her folds, slowly and hesitantly entering her. He was concentrating on Sookie, every movement slow and painstaking, making sure he did not wake her. Once fully sheathed within her, he leaned close to her ear and almost silently whispered her name, then kissed her, brushing his lips just barely over hers. It took all of his concentration to keep his touch as light as possible. In his nearly 200 years of existence, he had never done this before. He wanted to insinuate himself into her dream as well as her flesh, to give her a different kind of pleasure and spare her the nightmares that had afflicted her ever since returning home.

As he began ever so slowly to move within her, Bill braced himself to keep as much of his weight off Sookie as he could. Again he kissed her, lightly and gently, and to his surprise Sookie's arms and legs wrapped around him and she kissed him back in her sleep, murmuring his name over and over. He very slightly increased the pressure of his kiss and the rhythm of this thrusts. Could he bring her to climax in her sleep? Could he give her pleasure without waking her? He could feel the rise of her blood, hear the increase in her heart rate. When Sookie had a nightmare, Bill could always feel her distress; but he could detect no distress in her now.

Bill was aching to plunge himself into her, to take her fiercely, and it was all he could do to restrain himself. This was for Sookie – his Sookie – and it was taking every bit of his self- control to keep from ravaging her as the smell of her blood inflamed him and brought his level of arousal to a peak. Sookie clung to him and began to move beneath him, still whispering his name. Bill kept his rhythm slow but constant. After a few minutes, Sookie's grip on him tightened and she spasmed under him, her orgasm gently rolling over her body like a wave. Bill allowed his weight to press Sookie into the bed, and kissed her again. Sookie's eyes opened and sleepily fixed themselves on Bill's face, barely visible in the darkness.

"Bill? Am I dreaming? Is it really you?"

"Yes, sweetheart. I'm here."

"What...?"

"I didn't want to let another nightmare wake you. I wanted you to wake up more pleasantly than you have over the last few weeks."

"Oh Bill..." Sookie kissed him gently, her mouth still soft from sleep. She moved beneath him lazily, holding him to her and rocking her hips beneath him, murmuring into his mouth. "I was dreaming of you..."

"Pleasant dreams, I hope."

"Oh my, yes...so wonderful. It started like the nightmares; we were in Dallas, in the hotel. Then it changed. The place was completely deserted except for us, and you were making love to me in the lobby... Then when I woke and you were here, moving inside me, it was so unbelievable."

"No nightmare?"

"No. Not this time. Thank you so, so much."

"I was afraid you might think me selfish, indulging myself while you slept." A wry smile played over Bill's face.

Sookie's face lit up and she returned Bill's smile with a brilliant one of her own. "Oh, no. It was wonderful. You can be my alarm clock anytime."

"Then I shall be at your service, Miss Stackhouse." Bill kissed her again, gently, and Sookie held him close and whispered in his ear.

"Wake me again, please, Mr. Compton." Sookie's eyes shone with desire in the darkness.

Catching her mood, Bill couldn't resist the opportunity to tease her. "Need I point out, Miss Stackhouse, that you are already awake?"

Sookie clutched him tighter. "Oh no, Mr. Compton. I am not," she breathed. "I am a very deep sleeper, and I'm sure I am still dreaming..."

Bill's eyes blackened with his lust for her and his fangs extended. He kissed Sookie again, this time with passion, crushing her to him. Sookie responded in kind, holding him tightly, rocking her hips into his body and pushing herself down onto Bill's penis as far as she could. When Bill released her mouth to allow Sookie to breathe, her eyes were full of tears.

"Sookie, what's wrong?"

"Tell me I'm yours, Bill, please."

Bill kissed her gently, taking her lower lip between his own lips, careful not to cut her with his fangs. "You are mine, Sookie. I love you. I will never let you go."

"Please Bill, make me yours again. I don't want to belong to Eric. I don't want to be anybody's but yours. I would rather die than be with him."

Just the mention of Eric's name and the memory of what he had done to Sookie – his Sookie! – unraveled all of Bill's precarious self-control. "You are _**mine**_! I will _**never**_ give you up! _**Never..**__._" He growled at the woman beneath him, bruising her shoulders with his fingers. He savagely slammed his huge cock into her, making her scream as he impaled her over and over, bottoming out with every thrust. He had controlled his arousal in order to pleasure Sookie, but now his control evaporated and he climaxed almost immediately, filling Sookie with semen as she lifted her hips to receive him and held him to her tightly.

Sookie gasped for air. "Please Bill, bite me – mark me where it shows, please..."

Granting her request, Bill found his mark high on her neck and plunged his fangs into her flesh, sucking hard on the wound, intoxicated by the taste of her. Releasing his hold on her neck, Bill continued to pound his still-rigid cock into his human, his eyes fixed on hers, willing her to submit, to be his and only his. Sookie clung to him desperately, pulling him into her with her legs as hard as she could until her muscles ached. She pulled his face close to her with both hands, kissing him with intensity until she ran out of breath and reluctantly had to release his mouth from hers.

"Oh god, Bill...harder, please...I don't care if you hurt me, just fuck him out of me, please..."

Bill roared as he continued to ravage her and, as Sookie's orgasm overtook her, he climaxed for the final time, crushing her beneath him, the memory of Eric and what he had done filling him with rage.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Tara paced outside of the old house. It had taken her nearly a week of juggling schedules and trading days off, but she finally had managed to be off work at the same time Sookie was taking a late shift at Merlotte's and would be closing up with Sam. She hoped she would have enough time to talk to Bill before Sookie got done with work. She didn't even know if he was home, but she was hoping he was. Bill had been staying particularly close to Sookie since they had returned to Bon Temps, and Tara was glad of it; but it did make it harder for her to speak to Bill alone.

She continued pacing, wondering how to broach the subject of Eric with Bill. She had no idea how even to begin. Since her conversation with Sookie, she had been on an emotional roller coaster. She was worried. She was scared. She was rattled. She was pissed and angry like never before. And she had no idea how to help Sookie. She wasn't even sure she could.

Tara looked at her watch, then at the sky. In spite of her impatience, the sun was going down at its usual pace, ignoring the anxiety of the dark woman on the lawn.

_Dammit. Hurry up and get dark already._

There was still a bit of twilight left when Tara climbed the porch and began pounding loudly on Bill's door. She didn't know if he was home. If he was, she didn't know if he was awake. If awake, she wanted to make damned sure he knew she was at the door. Just as she thought she couldn't stand waiting one more minute, the door opened and Bill stood at the threshold, his hand on the latch.

"Tara?"

"Howdy Bill. Y'all got a minute? I need to talk to you."

Somewhat surprised to see her, Bill backed away from the doorway, allowing her in. "Certainly. Come in."

Tara pushed past Bill and into the foyer, too agitated to remember her fear of vampires.

"Can I get you something to drink, Tara?"

"I'll take anything y'all got that has alcohol in it."

Bill gestured Tara into the living room and went to the kitchen. When he returned, he had a warmed bottle of TruBlood for himself and a beer for Tara, which he handed to her.

"Beer? Y'all got cold beer now?"

"Sookie occasionally likes one after a hard day. What can I do for you, Tara?" Bill settled himself on the sofa, leaned back, and prepared to listen. He was curious. He knew Tara was uncomfortable around him, and she would not have come to see him without a very good reason. Certainly, she would never have come alone.

Tara sat silently opposite Bill and took a long, hard pull at her bottle of beer, working up her courage. In spite of her resolve to approach the subject cautiously, she found herself blurting out everything all at once. "Look, I talked to Sookie last week. She told me all about what that son-of-a-bitch Eric did to her. What are we going to do about it?"

If, in her agitation, Tara had momentarily forgotten her fear of vampires, she remembered now. The look on Bill's face was murderous. She had never seen true rage in a vampire before and it scared the hell out of her. His eyes dilated in anger, the blue transforming into coldly bottomless black depths. His voice, though quieter, was deadly with menace. The darkening of his eyes and the change in his voice would give her nightmares for weeks provided she got out of Bill's in one piece.

With a control he had not thought possible in his enraged state, Bill managed to put his bottle of synthetic blood on the table between them without crushing it into splinters. He leaned forward, and Tara was acutely aware of his fangs as he spoke. "What did she tell you?"

"She told me that he tricked her into taking his blood after the bombing, and that now he knows every move she makes. Is that true? He can spy on her? He knows what she's doing, where she is, what she's feeling?

She didn't think it was possible, but Bill's eyes grew blacker and his voice more deadly. "Yes. It's true. Why did she tell you this?"

Ignoring her fear, Tara explained to Bill. "She hasn't been doing too well at work. She's distracted all the time. She's looks like a cat that's been drug by its tail through a knothole backward. She's been screwing up orders and she's just exhausted. I kept waiting for her to say something, but she didn't, and it was just getting worse. So, I cornered her at home last week and flat-out asked her. I was worried. Still am." Tara swallowed and her eyes began to fill with tears. "Bill, he raped her..."

Tara nearly jumped out of her skin as Bill shot up from the sofa and angrily began to pace the living room.

Tara remained silent, watching Bill pace and working up the courage to continue. "We have to do something...she'll never be able to accept this hanging over her head every second of the day."

Bill stopped his pacing and leaned over the back of the sofa, his eyes on Tara and his fingers gripping the upholstery like talons. "I know..."

Bill had to get his rage under control. He was no good to Sookie like this. Tara was Sookie's friend, someone who knew Sookie well and who cared about her as much as he did. He could see the fear in Tara's face – fear of him and fear for Sookie. He had to control himself before her fear drove her away. He couldn't do this alone.

Tara found herself trembling in fear of the vampire before her, but she gripped her beer tightly with both hands to stop their shaking and forced herself to continue. "Isn't there somebody higher up we can report him to? Some vampire cop or something?"

"No. No vampire in authority would bother with this. Most consider humans little more than cattle. To them, this is a non-issue."

Bill gritted his teeth, making the muscles in his jaw knot visibly. Tara could see his tremendous effort to control himself.

"Can we undo it, Bill? Y'all know how much Sookie hates the idea of being controlled or spied on. Is there some way to get him out of her head?"

Tara watched as Bill struggled to speak. "I don't know any way of undoing what he's done. I've been trying to find something, but so far, nothing. It might be possible, but it never would occur to a vampire to even consider such a thing. If such a remedy exists, I've yet to find it."

Bill forced himself to return to his seat on the sofa, facing Tara, his hands folded. He had managed to adopt some semblance of control, but the fact that his fangs were still fully extended belied the calmness of his voice. "It's been difficult to do any research. I've been staying pretty close to Sookie since we got back."

"I did notice that, Bill. You've been in the bar more often than usual these last few weeks. Sookie likes it, but I think you're making Sam crazy."

The corner of Bill's mouth rose in the slightest of smiles at the thought of Sam's discomfort, and Tara couldn't help but smile back, breaking some of the tension in the room.

"Tara, I can't protect her during the day..."

"Well hell, Bill, I can keep an eye on her then."

"...and being with her all night, every night leaves me no time to find the answers we need. All the same, I don't think it's safe for her to be alone. Could you stay with her?"

"You know she's going to have a fit. We're going to have to practically tie her up to get her to agree to the idea. She likes her independence."

Bill smiled at that. "Yes. I'm well aware of that. She's told me often enough; usually at the top of her voice."

"I think y'all ought to talk to Sam, too. Between the three of us, we can keep a pretty good eye on Sookie."

Bill's face darkened.

Tara sighed with exasperation. "You and Sam are going to have to get over yourselves. Sam cares about Sookie. He's known her a long time, and we could use his help. Besides, Sookie's crazy in love with you, Bill, and being jealous of Sam for no damned reason is only going to piss her off."

Bill sat in silence.

"Y'all know I'm right." Tara glared at Bill and drank her beer. She had a way of getting those around her to acknowledge the inevitable, and Bill was no exception.

"I'll consider it."

"Well. OK then." Tara finished the last of her beer. "It's almost time for Sookie to get off work. How about I give you a ride to Merlotte's? You can ride back with her so she won't be by herself."

Bill downed his TruBlood in one long swallow and set the bottle carefully on the table.

"Thank you, Tara..."


	11. Chapter 11

Sookie was finishing her prep work for the night. Merlotte's was finally closed, there were just one or two die-hards waiting for rides, and she was exhausted. It had been almost impossible to keep her guard up, and the thoughts of the customers in Merlotte's had been bludgeoning their way past her defenses all day. She felt like she had been beaten up from the inside out. She couldn't wait to get done with her shift and get to Bill. Lately, being with him was the only peace she had. He was a bastion of sweet silence, and she looked forward to being with him, just the two of them, enjoying the quiet of his company.

Sookie felt Bill before she saw him. Smiling, she turned toward the door in anticipation but as it opened she was surprised to see Tara walk in first followed closely by Bill.

"Tara? I thought you were off tonight..."

"Yeah, I was, but I ran into this bloodsucker here on the side of the road and he glamoured me into giving him a lift."

Sookie's eyebrows lifted in surprise. Looking past her toward Bill, she was further surprised to see him smile at Tara's jibe. "Actually, there was no glamour involved. She showed up at my door and browbeat me into making peace with Sam. Being helpless in the face of such feminine determination, I surrendered." At which point Tara turned to Bill and punched him in the arm.

Now Sookie was completely confused. Tara? Teasing a vampire? Bill walked toward Sookie and took her by the shoulders, kissed her briefly but lovingly, and headed for Sam's office. Her eyes followed him as he walked away, and she turned to Tara. "Tara? What have you been up to?"

"Well, after our talk the other day, I had to do something. I thought that getting the two of them to quit bumping heads would make things a little easier on you. Y'all have enough to deal with right now. You don't need them flinging testosterone at each other all the time, too. They're like a couple of dogs sparring over a bone."


	12. Chapter 12

Josh Anders was still in Merlotte's, sitting at the table he had occupied all night, finishing the last of a very warm, very flat beer. He was waiting for his brother to pick him up. He had had one of those miserable days where nothing had gone right and had spent the entire night washing away the memory of his lousy day with one beer after another. One thing about Sam's place – you could drink yourself into a stupor and Sam made sure you got home all right.

More than one customer had made the return trip to the bar to pick up their car the morning after overindulging because Sam had confiscated their car keys and arranged a ride home for the inebriated. And you damned well had better be ready to surrender those keys; Sam wasn't above slashing a tire or two to keep you off the road. To make matters worse, if Sam got wind that somebody had been driving after drinking too much at his bar, that somebody was not welcome to return. Sam was a stickler about that. Truth was, Sam cared about folks, but hid his concern out of some misplaced sense of masculine pride. He'd even gone as far as telling Lafayette once that drunks made good repeat customers, but dead ones didn't put money in the till. Lafayette gave Sam's pronouncement all the consideration it was worth – which wasn't much.

The excessive indulgence in alcohol had brought out the boor in Anders, and he had been making a pest of himself all night with the waitresses as well as some of the female customers. Usually Sam's staff gave as good as they got, but tonight Sookie just wasn't up to it. She had been more vulnerable than usual and had been reduced to simple avoidance. And tonight was one night when Josh just didn't take the hint. He saw Sookie standing with Tara, got up, and stumbled over to the pair.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Bill knocked on the office door.

"Come in." Sam's voice hollered through the door. Swiveling his chair around, his expression turned to disgust when he saw Bill walk in, and he tossed his paperwork down onto the desk. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Mr. Merlotte." Bill nodded to Sam in greeting. "Can you spare a few minutes? I need to talk to you. It's about Sookie."

Sam did his best to remember his earlier resolution regarding Sookie. Compton had a way of setting him off just by showing up, but he was determined to do his best by Sookie. If this was the man she wanted, then Sam was damned sure not going to ruin it for her. He still held the hope that she someday she would realize what a mistake she had made by getting involved with a vampire and, if and when that day came, he had decided that he wouldn't make it any more difficult for her to give him a second chance than he already had. And if she didn't, well...he still cared about her enough to want her happy. Sam did his best to put down his irritation with Bill.

"What about her? Is she OK? Sit down..."

Bill sat at Sam's invitation. "There are some things that happened in Dallas that you don't know about, things that affect Sookie. I need your help to watch out for her."

"Yeah? You know I'd do anything for Sook..."

Sam's response was cut off in mid sentence as Bill's head snapped toward the door and he stood up quickly. Something was wrong. He left Sam sitting in his office and hurried out to Sookie.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

_No...no...no! Bill will kill him if he finds his hands on me..._ Sookie was more concerned for Josh's safety than her own. She was fully aware of Bill's presence and could suddenly feel his attention on her. _Get hold of yourself Sookie..._

Bill emerged from the back office to find Sookie fending off the advances of a very drunk, very persistent bull of a man who towered over her. He had his hand firmly around Sookie's wrist and Tara was cursing at him while the two of them did their best to pry his fingers loose, but without success. Sookie was afraid – but not of the man accosting her. _She's afraid of me? _Suddenly Bill understood. _She's afraid I'll kill him... _He also could sense Sookie's exhaustion and could feel that she was too fragile to deal with anything tonight, not a drunk customer and especially not an angry vampire. Bill held his temper in an iron grip and put on a calm front. It wouldn't fool her – Sookie could sense Bill as he did her, but in a more limited fashion – but it would make the situation easier for her and right now Bill was certain that she needed it.

"Sookie? Are you all right?"

Sookie mutely looked up at Bill and he could see tears forming in her eyes. Anders looked at the interloper and puffed out his chest. "Mister," he slurred, "I'm havin' a private discussion with Miz Sookie here, and y'all are interruptin' us."

Sam had immediately followed Bill out of the office and was just in time to size up the situation, watching in surprise as Bill fought to calm himself. "The lady is spoken for."

Ignoring Anders' hand still crushing Sookie's wrist, Bill moved toward her and reached for her. Sookie leaned against him, fighting back tears of fatigue, and closed her eyes. She just wanted this night to be over. She just wanted to go home with Bill and get some quiet. In spite of Bill's touch, the drunk's thoughts were a booming roar and were as loud and as addled as his speech, and she could hardly think. She just couldn't deal with this; not now, not after all the noise of the day. It was all she could do just to stand there, desperately trying to keep herself together.

Josh crowded the couple, trying to bully Bill with his size as he stood with his arms around his human. The drunk man's breath was foul and smelled of stale beer, and the stinking cloud surrounded Bill and Sookie as he continued to bluster. "Well hell, I don't see no ring on her finger, and she didn't say nothin', neither. So why don't you just let us finish our little chat?"

Sam saw the muscles in Bill's face tense. Trouble was coming and, in his drunken state, Josh had no idea the danger he was in. Bill's voice was a menacing whisper. "You obviously haven't looked closely enough." Bill reached up and brushed Sookie's long blonde hair away from her neck, exposing the fang marks there. "She's _**mine.**_" Bill's fangs had made their appearance and he glared at the drunk man. Anders looked at Bill's fangs, and his bleary gaze then traveled to the marks on Sookie's neck. His eyes widened, and before he could say another word, Sam moved forward quickly to pry his fingers from Sookie and hustle the big man away toward the door.

"Dammit Josh, y'all know better than to bother my girls. Am I gonna have to throw you out of this place for good?" Anders' alcohol-sodden attention turned to Sam, and he completely forgot about Sookie and the dark-haired man.

"I'm...I'm sorry Sam. It's just tha' Debra's been givin' me a world of grief, an' I was feeling sorry for m'self. Y'all won't kick me out? Please, Sam. N'body else will let me in any more..."

"I'll think about it. Now y'all go outside and wait for Donny. He'll be here in a minute, and then you can go home and sleep it off."

"OK. OK, Sam..." Anders reeled out the door and Sam sighed with relief. He turned to check on Sookie, and what he saw concerned him. Sookie looked about to collapse. She was leaning into Bill, who was holding her close as he looked over her head toward Sam. Tara was looking from Sookie to Sam with worry evident on her face. Sam signaled her with a quick nod, and Tara hurried back to the office.

"Bill, why don't you take Sookie home? It's been a long day." Bill looked at Sam with gratitude, and Tara returned with Sookie's purse. "I will, Sam."

He took the proffered purse in one hand, his other arm supporting Sookie. Still not having said a word, Sookie let Bill lead her from the bar, put her into her car, and drive away.

With Anders out the door and Sookie gone home with Bill, Sam and Tara were the last ones in the bar. Sam locked the door and wheeled on Tara.

"Tara, what the hell was that? Sookie knows how to handle a drunk...I've seen her put the fear of God into men twice Josh's size. I've never seen her so helpless. And what's with Compton? I thought for sure he'd kill Josh for mauling Sookie like he was, but he let that dumb redneck off without even raising his voice... What the fuck is going on?"

"Oh God, Sam. Did Bill talk to you at all? He wasn't back there very long." Tara plopped herself into one of the booths and put her face into her hands.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Bill drove away from Merlotte's, his attention only half focused on the road before him. From time to time he would glance over at the passenger seat where Sookie sat silently, her head turned toward the window, staring into the night, seeing nothing. She still had not said a word to him. Bill could sense her, but had no words to describe what she was feeling. In spite of that, it was familiar. It was the same thing he had felt in her that terrible night her grandmother had been murdered, that night when she stood before him, looking right into his face, and had not seen him. Akin to shock, his words had made no impression; only his touch had gotten through to her, and finally she had become aware of him.

Abruptly deciding against taking her home, Bill brought her instead to his house. She shouldn't be alone, not in the condition she was in, and he was unwilling to trust her welfare to anyone else.

Pulling her car into the drive at the front of the house, Bill went to the side door and opened it for Sookie. Still she didn't acknowledge him. Leaving her momentarily, he left the car door open and went into the house. When he returned he was barefoot and clad only in a robe. Kneeling onto the gravel of the drive at her eye level, he took Sookie's cheek in his hand and turned her face toward his. "Sookie? Can you hear me?" When he got no response, he stood, picked her up in his arms, and carried her from the car.

Instead of taking Sookie into the house, he carried her around back to where the woods encroached on the yard. There, beneath a heritage oak older than he was, he brought Sookie. In the few minutes he had left her in the car, Bill had used his vampire abilities to prepare a place for her beneath the great tree. He had spread a quilt on the ground and placed a cushion from the sofa against the bole of the tree to make a comfortable place to rest. He remembered that the night Sookie's grandmother died she had desperately needed to get out of the house, into the air. She'd had a sense of claustrophobia that night, feeling the walls closing in around her. Bill was thankful that this was a warm night so Sookie could have the freedom of the open air.

Bill put Sookie down, holding her upright with one arm while he removed his robe. Naked, he undressed Sookie as well, then brought her to the tree where he sat down with her, his back against the cushion. He held Sookie close to him on his lap, one leg bent at the knee to support her, his arms around her, and her head resting on his chest, skin to skin. He took her swollen hand in his and kissed the bruises that had begun to appear on her wrist where Anders' had hurt her. He kissed her hair, then began to gently stroke her hair and her skin, hoping that touch would get through to her where words failed. He would hold her as long as it took for her to come back to him. What he would do if the sun rose before that happened, he had no idea...


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Sam brought two glasses to the table with a bottle of Cuervo and poured a shot for himself and one for Tara. She looked like she needed it, and Sam wasn't one to let a lady drink alone. He sank into the booth across from Tara and looked her over. She was still rattled by the events in the bar and would need a few minutes to pull herself together. But what she had said after Bill and Sookie left the bar indicated that she knew something about what was going on.

"So Tara, you knew Compton wanted to talk to me?"

Tara gratefully downed her tequila and pulled some napkins from the holder to wipe her eyes. "Yeah, Sam. I did. It was my friggin' idea."

Sam looked at her in surprised silence, waiting for her to continue. All the while, he watched her as she gathered her thoughts. Tara's feelings about vampires were as strong as his, but for a different reason. She was scared to death of them. Sam figured that it had to be something serious if she had involved herself with the likes of Compton. So he waited, pouring another shot for Tara.

"Sookie's in trouble, Sam."

Sam snorted in spite of himself. "When is Sookie not in trouble, Tara?"

"No, Sam, I don't mean the usual shit Sookie gets into. I know she gets into trouble all the time because she jumps in the middle of things. She can't help that – she's just the kind of person who tries to help everybody. You know that. This is something else."

"Compton said something happened in Dallas that affected Sookie and he needed my help. That was about as far as he got before all hell broke loose with Josh."

"Remember about a week ago when I asked you about Sookie?"

"Yeah, I remember. Y'all been rubbing my nose in my bad behavior ever since." Sam drank his Cuervo and poured another.

"Well, the next morning I went over to Sookie's place and flat-out asked her what the hell was going on."

Sam's interest was piqued. "Did she tell you?"

"Yeah, she sure did. Gimme another shot, will ya, Sam...? I guess when she got caught in that damned explosion it knocked her around more than we thought. She even had to go to the ER in Dallas. She's been having headaches, and they're keeping her from concentrating enough to keep all that noise out of her head. She said that was why she's been having trouble at work. She didn't hear us, because she _couldn't_ hear us. Too much noise."

Sam thought about it a minute. "Well, that makes sense. At least, it makes sense for Sookie. Is she OK? What did the doctors in Dallas say?"

"Sookie said that they checked her out with x -rays and a CT scan and all that shit, and she was OK, just a slight concussion. They told her she would be fine but she'd probably have headaches for a while. They gave her a couple of prescriptions, and I guess that was it."

"So, she's OK then?"

"Hell no she ain't OK, Sam. But what is she supposed to do? Trot back to the ER and tell them, 'Hey doc, I got blown up and now I can't stop hearing what everybody's thinking'? Besides, there's other stuff..."

Sam downed his shot and poured them each another. "So, what's the other stuff?"

"Well, she ain't been sleeping. And before y'all say it, don't blame Bill. He's worried about her, too."

Sam tossed his head in exasperation. "I didn't say a word, Tara, so don't y'all give me grief for something I didn't do."

"Well, I'm just saying. Sook's been having nightmares about what happened, which makes sense, I guess, but that's not the worst of it."

"Y'all are telling me there's something worse? Such as?"

"Sam, you remember that big old vamp that came into the bar that night? The blond one with the vamp bar in Shreveport?"

"Hell yeah, I remember him. Northman. He's the reason Sookie agreed to go down to Dallas in the first place, isn't he?"

"Yeah. Well, that son of a bitch pulled a fast one on Sookie. After the explosion he pretended he was dying or some such and tricked her into sucking the silver out of his chest..."

Sam was aghast. "He what?"

"You heard me, Sam. The fucker tricked her into taking blood from him. "

"Holy shit..."

"Do you know what that means?"

"It means he's in her head."

Tara's brows lifted. "Y'all knew that? I had no friggin' idea until Sookie told me. It's a goddamned rape, Sam. It's all about control and power. He can spy on her 24/7 and there's not a thing she can do about it. It's eatin' her alive. So, I went over to talk to Bill to see if there was anyway to undo it."

"So that's why Compton wanted to talk to me..."

"Yeah, Sam. He's worried. That's why he's been hanging around the bar so much. He doesn't think she should be alone, but if he's with her all the time, he can't find out if there's any way to fix this mess. So, I told him that you two needed to make peace for Sookie's sake, and that between the three of us we could look out for her."

Sam took a few minutes to ruminate over what Tara had told him. Things made more sense to him now. After a short period of quiet, he remarked, "Well, that sure explains why Compton's been holding onto his temper."

"Yeah, Sam, it does. He really cares about her."

"Maybe so, but it's more than that. He's in her head, so he knows exactly how bad off she really is."

Tara nearly choked on her tequila. "What the fuck? Him too?"

"Y'all never noticed? It's obvious. Y'all have seen the marks...he's been feeding off her. And she sure as hell has had his blood. Haven't you ever seen Sookie turn to look at the door just before Compton comes in? Like she knows when he's coming? And tonight, Compton knew Sookie was in trouble; that's why he left me hanging in mid sentence and rushed back out to the bar. When her gran died, he knew she was having a bad time; Lafayette told me how he came runnin' into her place and 'bout scared all y'all to death. And he knew Rene was after Sookie even in his sleep. Hell, Tara, they more'n likely been sharing blood between them."

Tara was dumbfounded.

"Oh my god, Sam, that's the grossest thing I have ever heard..."

Sam tossed back his final shot and put the glass on the table. "Well, that's what happens when you get involved with a vamp."

For the first time since he had met her, Tara was speechless. Sam chalked it up to a combination of worry, booze, and too much information. He stood up from the booth and reached out. "Tara," he said, "gimme your keys. Y'all're sleeping in my trailer tonight...we'll figure out how to watch out for Sookie tomorrow."


	17. Chapter 17

**Thank you for your suggestions and comments. I have tried to incorporate them into the flow of the story.**

Chapter 17

There was no moon and it was full dark beneath the old oak. Sookie didn't know where she was. Her brain wasn't working right and she felt like one raw nerve, pulled too tight and scraped bloody. Everything hurt, but from the inside out. _This must be what a bell feels like when it's rung too hard..._ She was so tired, she couldn't even move. _Where am I? _She had barely managed to put the words together in her head when fatigue caught up with her and she slept.

...

Bill was thinking about Sookie while he held her, thinking of all the ways she mattered to him. Never had he met anyone like her. She loved him. She accepted him as he was – as much as she knew. But she didn't really know all that he was. There was much that he hadn't told her about his past out of fear of losing her. He had argued with himself for months over whether or not to tell her everything, but holding her in his arms, waiting for her, he came to a decision. He would tell her what a monster he truly was. She deserved the truth. Besides, he was tired of bits and pieces of his history coming back to ambush him – like Lorena. He loved Sookie enough to risk her turning her back on him in disgust. But before he faced that, he had to find a way to free her of Eric.

...

The first thing Sookie was aware of was the trill of cicadas in the trees. That's how she knew she was awake. And space. Lots of space. She still couldn't see a thing, but she knew she was outside. She could feel the breeze on her skin – all of her skin. _Where're my clothes?_ Along with the air, Sookie could feel the slow, gentle movement of cool fingers running across her skin and a deliciously familiar odor in her nostrils. _Bill..._

_..._

Bill was still pondering his feelings for Sookie when he felt her trembling fingers reach for his hand and enmesh with his. He was relieved that she was responding to his touch, that she was finally coming back to herself, and he bent to kiss her hair.

Sookie was still confused and her thoughts fuzzy. She desperately held on to Bill's hand; it was the anchor that kept her from slipping away again. While her brain was slowly clearing, it was the only thing she could focus on. All her attention was wrapped around the feel of his fingers entwined with hers.

...

There was no sound apart from the katydids in the trees, and Sookie was gradually aware of the silence. No longer was there the clang of dishes or blare of drunken laughter that had assaulted her senses all day long; just the buzz of the insects and an occasional croaking frog. And sweet Lord, there was no barrage of unspoken voices pounding her into a stupor.

_Bill..._ Bill had taken her from the bar, away from the noise and the pain. She had been overwhelmed, and Bill had pulled her away from the clamor in her head and into a sanctuary of silence. Sookie was flooded with gratitude. She sat quietly in his arms, waiting for her mind to clear, comforted by the touch of his hand and the feel of his skin cool against hers.

...

It seemed like an eternity, but Sookie felt almost herself again. She poked gingerly around the corners of her mind; it seemed to be working again. Her attention turned to Bill. _God, I love him..._ She needed to touch him, to hold him. She turned to face him, straddling his lap, and ran her fingers over his face. It was still too dark for her to see anything, but she didn't need eyes to know it was him. She would recognize him anywhere; she knew how he smelled, how he felt, how he tasted. She couldn't get close enough to him. She moved her hands down to his muscular arms, then across his chest and down his abdomen. She bent her head to his chest and inhaled deeply, filling herself with the smell of him, and gently kissed each nipple. Sookie pressed her breasts against his chest and wrapped her arms around him, stroking his back from his buttocks up to his shoulders, then silently held him close.

Bill was relieved when Sookie regained her awareness. He was taken by surprise when she immediately turned to him, stroking his skin and embracing him. Bill put aside his worries and wrapped his arms around her.

Without speaking, Sookie leaned in to kiss him, her kiss filled with passion and need, and Bill responded. She lavished attention on his eyes and his cheeks before turning to his lips. She slid her tongue into Bill's accepting mouth, running it between his upper lip and his gums, a move guaranteed to make Bill's fangs extend. She loved the excitement of kissing him with his deadly fangs exposed, and she interrupted her kiss only long enough to toy with them, heedless of the danger.

Bill's passion for Sookie increased as she kissed him. During the course of their relationship, Sookie inadvertently had discovered how to set off the autonomic reaction that caused his fangs to extend, and Bill was amazed every time she did it. The first time he had kissed her, he had been ashamed when his fangs appeared, and again, when he first made love to her, he had been dismayed when he could not control them. But Sookie had hesitated only briefly before reaching for him, ignoring the threat, and loving him anyway. It was a sign of her trust in him that she sought them out, and the first time she had deliberately, knowingly triggered that reflex she had completely astonished Bill. At that moment, any reservation he'd had about loving a human had completely disappeared. At that moment, he was hers.

Sookie stroked Bill's skin, running her hands over his body, loving the feel of hard muscles beneath cool skin. She bent to the curve of his neck and continued to kiss him, occasionally making a detour to nibble at his earlobe or return to his lips. Bill savored her touch, and the heat from her hands made his skin tingle. Her avid attention to every inch of his body kindled his desire for her, and he grew hard at her touch. With his erection pushing against her, Sookie reached between her legs to bring Bill's engorged penis up to her belly, rubbing against it while she teased him with delicate fingers. He could feel a growl begin to rise in his chest, but suppressed it; Sookie remained mute, so he matched her quiet with his own. To be silent while Sookie loved him was a kind of bondage, and the eroticism of their silent sexual encounter inflamed his lust for her. Bill nearly lost his mind when Sookie changed positions just enough to stroke him repeatedly with the hot folds between her thighs, anointing him with the warm wetness that he loved, and he clutched her to him with strong hands and buried his face in her pale hair, inhaling deeply to draw in her odor.

Sookie continued to tease Bill until her own lust for him became unbearable. Without prelude, she stopped stroking Bill and instead took him into her, gasping at the size of his erection. She thrust herself onto his cock and began to ride him, Bill rising to meet her every thrust. Sookie's nipples had hardened to the point of pain and, as she moved on Bill's lap, she arched her back, lifting her breasts to him in a silent plea. Overwhelmed by desire, Bill could hold back no longer. He took as much of her breast into his mouth as he could and plunged his fangs into it, greedily sucking blood from her nipple. The instant he broke the skin, Sookie lost control and spasmed around him in a silent orgasm. The smell of Sookie's blood and it's rich sweetness inflamed Bill, and he emptied himself into her even as he fed from her,

Bill remained sheathed within Sookie, holding her close as she snuggled against him, her head on his shoulder, arms wrapped around him. Sookie was content to remain in his arms, feeling cherished and protected.

Sookie was the first to break the silence.

"Thank you. Thank you for getting me out of there..."

"You were hurting, Sookie. I couldn't ignore that." Bill stroked her gently, loving the feel of her.

"I was so afraid you were going to hurt Josh. He's just a big ol' dumb redneck, and really, he wouldn't hurt a fly. He just gets to feeling sorry for himself every once in a while."

"I thought about it. He hurt you."

"I never had trouble dealing with him before. I don't know what happened. He wasn't any more of a pest than usual."

Bill was silent, remembering the bruises on her wrist.

"I thought I was having trouble concentrating because of the headaches, then I thought it was because I was tired from not sleeping. But, the headaches are almost gone and I haven't had another nightmare since you made love to me in my sleep. I'm scared, Bill. What's happening to me?"

Bill held her close. "I don't know, Sweetheart..."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

The bar was closed for the night and Sookie was just finishing up. Only Sam and Tara were still in the bar, waiting for Bill to arrive. Bill had asked to meet at Merlotte's after closing time so they all could talk. Sookie wasn't quite sure why, but she had her suspicions. Bill was still worried about her after her fugue and wasn't too happy about her returning to work right away, but Sookie was fiercely independent and not about to abandon her job, no matter what Bill thought.

Tara, meanwhile, was rattled. The information she had gotten from Sam the previous night had floored her. She didn't think Sam would lie to her, especially not about Sookie, but she couldn't believe Sookie would willingly take blood from a vampire, not even Bill. It had disturbed her enough that she hadn't been able to sleep the night before despite being well-lubricated by Sam's tequila, and she had been dwelling on it all day. She didn't know what to think – either of Bill or Sookie. The whole thing unsettled her, but she pushed her feelings down as Sookie walked over to her.

"How y'all doing, Sook?"

"Fine. It's all still just nonstop noise, but nowhere near as bad as last night. I feel like such a wimp for letting it get to me."

"I wouldn't worry about it." Tara continued to stack newly washed mugs beneath the bar.

"Well, my prep's done." Sookie gave a deep sigh. " I'm going out for some air for a minute. I need a break."

Tara's ears pricked. Sookie shouldn't be alone. "You want me to come with you? Or go get Sam?"

"No thanks. I'll be fine. Bill's on his way. He'll be here in a minute."

With her best attempt at nonchalance, Tara spoke. "Sook, can y'all tell when Bill's around?"

As usual when Tara asked her about Bill, Sookie blushed and a shy smile came over her. "Yeah, I can. I mean, sometimes. I can tell when he's close, but it's different if he's far away. Then it doesn't feel like Bill, exactly. It's kind of like this bubble of quiet. I can feel it. Sometimes I can even tell where he is. I mean, vampires are always quiet. I can't hear their thoughts at all, and usually I can't even get a void unless they're close by. They're like an empty space in all the noise, and I can't tell one from another. But Bill is different. I wish I could explain it better, Tara. He's just, I don't know, a different flavor than the others."

Tara looked down and the bar for a moment, then returned her gaze to Sookie. "And Bill can feel you too, huh?"

Sookie nodded.

"Well then, I guess if you say Bill's on his way, I shouldn't worry."

"Thanks, Tara." Smiling, Sookie took off her apron and headed out the back door of the bar.

Tara watched her leave and mumbled under her breath. "Like hell I shouldn't..."

...

Bill had left his car at home and walked toward Merlotte's in anticipation of riding back with Sookie. It was a beautifully cool night and the long walk gave him the time he needed to think. He was nearing the bar and was suddenly brought up short when Sookie's odor tickled his nostrils. _I've never smelled her from this far away before..._ Instantly aroused, Bill's fangs extended involuntarily at her scent and with vampire speed he rushed the remaining distance to the bar.

Sookie was enjoying the cool night air in back of the bar when she felt Bill hurrying to her. His haste puzzled her. Then she spied him across the clearing of the parking lot as he arrived and abruptly stopped, staring at her. Sookie suddenly flushed, breaking out in a sweat. All at once she felt like an animal in heat – she had to have him, and she had to have him _**now.**_ Forgetting everything but Bill, she ran to him, her sneakers throwing up the gravel of the parking lot in her hurry.

Bill growled as Sookie launched herself at him and kissed him fiercely, tonguing his fangs, and he returned her kiss savagely. He dragged her into the woods out of sight of the bar, far enough away that they could not be heard, Sookie hanging on and welcoming his abduction.

As soon as Bill stopped, Sookie pushed down her shorts and panties, kicking them off and turning away from him. She bent over and braced herself against a moss-covered oak, wordlessly presenting herself to him. Sookie's wanton behavior and the sight her firm buttocks inflamed Bill immediately. She had never acted like this before. Hurriedly opening his pants, he thrust himself into her without prelude or foreplay, pounding into her with abandon even as Sookie pushed back to meet him. With a loud cry, she climaxed almost immediately, and the sound of her was more than enough to trigger Bill's own orgasm and he emptied himself into her with a roar.

Still gasping for breath, Sookie pulled away from Bill and turned, throwing her arms around his neck and frantically attempting to climb his long, lean frame. "Fuck me, Bill...please...," she panted. Bill lifted her onto his still erect, aching penis, pushing into her as hard as he could, and again Sookie cried out as he held her, forcing himself into her without mercy, indulging his lust at her urging.

Afterward, breathless and spent, Sookie gave Bill one last, passionate kiss before she unwound herself from him and gathered up her clothing. After they had finished dressing, Sookie could not resist one more kiss before returning to the bar. She pulled back from Bill with a perplexed look on her face.

"What's the matter, Sookie?"

"You taste different..."

"Different?"

"Yeah. More like you than usual...stronger somehow. I don't know how to explain it."

"That's odd. I could smell you, too, from farther away." Bill took her by the shoulders, held her at arms' length, and examined her intently, holding her eyes with his. "Sookie, what was this? I've never seen you act like this before."

Sookie shook her head. "I don't know. All I know is that when I saw you, I had to have you. I couldn't wait. I just, just had to have you in me." She looked away and blushed a deep crimson, causing Bill's nostrils to flare at the intense odor of her blood just beneath the surface of her skin. "I don't usually talk like that, either. I'm pretty embarrassed now, but I wasn't at all when it was happening." She looked up at Bill and saw the flare of his nostrils and the hunger in his eyes. She took his hands from her shoulders and interlaced her fingers in his, moving toward him. She smiled and tossed her hair away from her neck, leaning in close to whisper in his ear. "Bite me where it shows, Bill."

Bill fed from her, plunging his fangs into her neck and groaning at the taste of her. Her blood was exquisite; he had never tasted anyone like her in his entire existence as a vampire. Besides her blood, Bill was thrilled also by the feel of Sookie melting into him as he held her, surrendering herself to him with complete trust.

If she had been asked, Sookie would have been unable to explain what she felt when Bill fed from her. He could kill her in a moment; but she wasn't afraid. The pain of his bite was vicious; yet the sensation of his fangs knifing into her flesh was so erotic that more than once she had found herself climaxing just with his bite. In one sense she surrendered herself to his need; yet in another she felt a sense of power in the fact that her very blood sustained him.

At last Bill pulled away from Sookie, licking the blood from her neck and from his lips. "We'd better get to the bar before Sam and Tara send out a search party for us," he said as he kissed her gently.

"Yeah, I guess so. I could stay here with you all night, though."

They walked back to the bar, arms around each other.

...

Tara heard the back door open and Sookie's voice.

"Y'all get an O-neg and have a seat. I'll go get Sam."

She looked up to see Sookie head back to Sam's office as Bill came around the corner into the front of the house. As Tara walked around the bar toward him, Bill smiled and greeted her. "Hello, Tara."

Sookie poked her head into Sam's office. "Hey Sam. Bill's here."

"Gotcha, Sook." Sam shoved his paperwork aside and got up to join Sookie. As they walked out together, they were just in time to see Tara haul off and hit Bill in the face, putting her entire body weight behind the blow. "You son of bitch!" she screamed. "You goddamned bastard!"

Bill's fangs came out with a snarl and he grabbed Tara's arm. Tara switched hands only to have Bill catch the oncoming blow of her other hand.

Startled by her unexpected attack, Bill resisted the reflex to throw Tara through the wall. His anger was evident, though, in the blackness of his eyes and the full extension of his fangs. He held her at arms' length with crushing fingers.

_"__**Tara!**_ What the hell are you doing?" Sookie shouted at Tara as she and Sam rushed toward the altercation.

Imprisoned by Bill's grip, Tara was limited now to a solely verbal assault. "You son of a bitch! I'll stake you myself, you goddamned dead fucker!"

"Tara, stop!" Sam hollered at her while pulling her from Bill. Sookie grabbed Bill, wrapping her arms around him and desperately trying to calm him. Tara had no idea how close she was to death; her head was full of anger and hatred and it echoed through Sookie like a megaphone in her ear.

Tara was fighting with Sam now as he held her back, trying to get past him to resume her attack on the vampire. "He's no better than that other damned vamp!"

Bill stood with his jaw clenched, arms around Sookie as she hung on to him, her head turned toward Tara. "Tara, what the hell are you talking about?" Sookie yelled at her, trying to make herself heard over the scuffle and the noise in her head.

"Y'all drank his blood, Sookie! And don't tell me you did it willingly, I know you better..."

Sookie turned toward Bill and buried her face in his shirt. "Oh God..." Stunned, Bill retracted his fangs.

Sam pushed Tara bodily across the dining room and forcefully shoved her into a booth, planting himself firmly next to her on the bench with his hand hard around her upper arm to prevent her from getting up.

Sookie lifted her face toward Bill. She could see the pain in his eyes. Then she took him by the hand and turned toward Tara. "Tara, you don't know what the hell you're talking about."

"Yeah? I'm not stupid, Sookie. I know Bill can feel you the same way that other bastard can. What the hell is the difference? Are y'all gonna' lie to my face and tell me you drank from that dead fuck voluntarily?"

"Tara, you are so far out of line...If you knew..."

Tara tried to get up, shouting at Sookie while Sam unceremoniously pushed her back down into the booth. "Explain it to me then. Tell me why I shouldn't take silver to this SOB."

Sookie turned to Bill. "Bill..."

Bill locked his gaze onto his human. "I trust you, Sookie. It's up to you."

Sookie looked hard at the two people in the booth, weighing Bill's safety against their reliability. Coming to a decision, she walked over to the booth, pulling Bill along by the hand.

"All right. I'll tell you both, but on one condition..."

"Don't y'all expect me to agree to anything that protects this dead fuck, Sookie." Tara spit the words out.

Furious at Tara's interruption and her assault on Bill, Sookie snapped at her. "Tara, shut the fuck up. Either you both swear – beforehand – that you'll never tell another soul what you hear tonight, or I'll walk out of here for good. I mean it."

Sam looked at her, convinced by the expression on her face that she was serious. "Why, Sookie?"

"If you want to know why, all y'all have to agree. I'm not saying a word without your promise."

Sam did a quick assessment of Sookie. She was fiercely loyal to her friends; always had been. He hadn't really believed that she cared for Bill as much as she claimed, but he was forced to admit to himself that he must have underestimated her feelings for the dead man if she was willing to turn her back on her job, her friendship with him, and her lifelong friendship with Tara. He had no doubt that she would walk away from everything and everyone in her life and not look back for a minute. There was determination in her very stance, and he knew without question she would never give an inch on this one; she would abandon everything for Bill's sake. The realization was crushing. At that moment, he gave up all hope of ever being with Sookie.

Sam sighed with resignation. "OK. You have my word, Sookie." He turned toward Tara. "Well Tara? How about it?"

Tara harumphed. "I don't like it."

Sam looked her in the eye. "Tara, if y'all think Sookie's gonna back down on this, you don't know her as well as you ought. Take a good look. Are you ready to lose your best friend? 'Cause y'all are gonna in about one minute."

Agitated, Tara looked up at her friend. Sam was right. The look on Sookie's face was hard as stone and her expression as unyielding. Tara's anger at Bill was tempered by the realization that she was about to lose the closest thing to a sister she'd ever had. Over a vampire. Reluctantly, she gave Sookie her promise.

"I promise, Sookie"

"No conditions. No reservations. I mean it. If you ever, ever break your word about this, I'm done."

"No conditions. I'll keep my promise."

"OK then." She sighed, a long exhalation that seemed to come from her toes. "God, I need a beer." Sookie slid into the booth across from Tara, pulling Bill in next to her.

Sam turned back to Tara. "Y'all think you can keep from beating up Bill while I get us all a round?" Tara nodded, wordlessly glaring at Bill, while Sam went to the bar. He returned in a few minutes with a pitcher of ice-cold beer, three mugs, and a warm TruBlood.

Sookie brushed her hair from her face while Sam poured, then took a long drink before beginning. Tara was furious when she saw the fresh fang marks on her neck, but bit her cheek and said nothing.

Sookie put down her beer and took a deep breath. She reached for Bill's hand and held it with a white-knuckled grip, drawing strength from his closeness. "OK. Remember the night Bill first came into Merlotte's? and I stopped the Rattrays from draining him?" Sam and Tara nodded. "Well, what all y'all don't know was that they weren't too happy about it. I guess I cost them a whole lot of money. Anyway, the next night, the night I had arranged to meet Bill to ask him to talk to Gran's club, the Ratts came back. They ambushed me in the parking lot after the bar closed and beat the hell out of me."

Tara's lips pressed together in a thin line. "Uh huh. There wasn't a mark on you the next morning."

Sookie looked at Bill, who simply nodded.

"Yeah, Tara, it was bad. They almost killed me." Tara snorted in disbelief. "My head was split open and I was sure I had busted ribs. My nose was bloody, my lip was split..."

Bill whispered. "Sookie's back was broken. She was paralyzed."

"Bill saved me from the Ratts, Tara. He picked me up and carried me out of there. That's when he forced me to drink from him."

Tara glared at Bill, and quietly he spoke, answering her unasked question. "I had no choice. If I hadn't, Sookie would have died."

"What the hell are y'all talking about? What's drinking vamp blood got to do with it?"

Bill responded. "You know some of the effects, but blood consumed directly from the veins of a vampire also has...healing properties."

"Fuck. That's bullshit and I don't believe a word of it. This is just some damned fable you dreamed up to cover up what you did. Y'all probably glamoured her into believing all this shit. You raped her as sure as that other fuck did." Tara spat her accusation at Bill, punctuating it with a pointing finger and an angry glare.

"Sookie isn't susceptible to glamour, Tara," said Bill.

"I buried my bloody clothes in the yard behind the shed that night so Gran wouldn't find out. They're still there. Y'all can dig 'em up and see for yourself."

For a moment, no one spoke. Then Sam interjected. "It's true, Tara. I caught the tail end of it."

Tara looked at Sam and then returned to stare at Sookie in disbelief. "All y'all are serious..." Tara paused for a moment, incredulous, wondering at what she had been told. "If this is all for real, why didn't y'all tell me before? And why didn't y'all tell the cops?"

"Because I didn't want Bill arrested for murder, Tara."

"Excuse me?"

Bill squeezed Sookie's hand. "I killed Mac and Denise Rattray, Tara."

Tara gaped. "You what?"

"They wouldn't have stopped. They eventually would have killed her. If they hadn't been successful that night, they simply would have kept trying."

Tara hesitated for a moment, looking from Bill to Sookie and back again. "But I thought they died in their trailer. There was a tornado..."

"Tara, please understand. I didn't love Sookie then, but I was in her debt. She saved me, and I simply couldn't let her die because of what she did for me."

"So this happened the night before you came over to Gran's place?"

"Yes."

"And y'all sat there in her living room with me and Jason and Gran like butter wouldn't melt in your mouth, calm as could be, after murdering two people the night before."

"Yes."

Tara looked at Sookie. "And you knew about it?"

"I didn't know for sure until that night at Gran's, when Bill told me."

Tara shook her head. "I don't know what to think...just when I think I know what's what, I get all this...this craziness thrown at me." She turned to Sam. "And you knew about this?"

Sam pushed his mug of beer from one hand to another across the table. "Well, I suspected. Like I said, I caught the very end of it...just enough to see how bad Sookie was. Mac had pulled a gun, and I was scared to death Sookie was gonna be done for before I could do a thing. That's when Bill showed up. Y'all know how fast a vampire can be. It was over before I knew what happened. Bill took Sookie away and, well, you know the rest."

Tara leaned forward, elbows on the table and her head held between her hands. "Aw hell. I need something a whole lot stronger than a beer..."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Bill was standing outside the back door of the bar with his hands in his pockets, clearing his head after the events inside, when Tara came out to join him.

"I'm sorry about the right hook, Bill."

Bill looked at her, then turned back to contemplate the darkness. "Well, I can't really blame you for taking a swing at me. Considering what you thought I'd done, it's understandable. She inspires that kind of loyalty."

"Yeah, she does. She's special. And I don't mean 'cause she can read minds, either."

"I wonder if you know just how special she is."

"I do. But somehow I don't think we're talking about the same thing."

After a pause, Bill spoke again. His voice dropped until it was not much more than a whisper, and Tara had to listen closely to hear him. "Do you have any idea what it's like to be turned, Tara? One day I was making my way home at the end of the war...I was so sick of the violence, the blood, the smell of death. I just wanted to get home to my wife and children. The next, I'm not even human anymore. Suddenly I'm a walking dead man, enslaved to the creature who made me, and my 'life'" – Tara could hear the quotes in his voice – "is irrevocably entwined with blood. Nothing in my human life prepared me for that."

Tara was quiet for a moment, astonished that Bill had been this open. "I guess it would be kind of an understatement to say it changed things."

"You have no idea." Bill turned to look Tara in the eyes. "That's why Sookie means so much to me. In all the years since I was turned, Sookie is the only creature I've met who thinks of me as a person, in spite of whatever else I am. And she doesn't have to twist herself into knots to believe it. It's just a natural part of who she is." Looking away from her, he continued. "Being a vampire is an exercise in despair, Tara. She's the first glimmer of hope I've had in 140 years."

"I guess we are talking about the same thing, then. Sookie's about the most real person I've ever met." She paused. "I'll see y'all back inside." Tara left Bill standing in the cool night air and went back into the bar.

Looking into the darkness, Bill spoke again, this time to himself.

"I just can't lose her..."

...

Sookie was coming out of the restroom as Tara returned. "Y'all done beating up my boyfriend, Tara?"

"Yeah, Sook." She stopped, leaning against the ice machine. "I just went out to apologize."

"Um hmm." In spite of herself, Sookie was still angry.

"I don't get it, Sookie. I mean, vampires scare me. The whole _idea _of vampires terrifies me. And here you are with a vamp for a boyfriend like it's the most normal thing in the world. The guy is sweet as pie one minute, and the next he tells me he killed two people I know. Granted, they were probably the trashiest people on earth, and probably deserved it more than most, but still... they're dead. And he probably ate 'em..."

She looked at Sookie, who just crossed her arms and said nothing. Then she continued. "He's not human. He feeds on you...and don't y'all give me that look. I can see the fang marks on your neck...but he's the same guy who tucked you into bed the other night because you were so tired." Tara shook her head, suddenly speechless, the magnitude of what Bill had told her outside finally sinking in. "I don't even know what to think, much less what to say. Is everything in your life this fuckin' complicated?"

Sookie couldn't help but smile.

"Pretty much."

Tara looked at Sookie with bewilderment, then walked back to the table. Sookie followed.

...

Sam, Sookie, and Tara were already at the table when Bill joined them. He slid into the booth as Sookie reached for his hand.

"So Bill," said Sam, "why'd you want to meet?"

"I need to find out if there is any way to break Eric's hold on Sookie. I can't do that here, and I am unwilling to leave her alone. I don't trust him. I need to know she's being protected."

Sookie interrupted. "Bill, I can take care of myself..."

"No Sookie, not this time. He's devious, deceitful, and cruel. He will do anything to get what he wants."

Tara spoke up. "He's right, Sookie. You know what he did to Lafayette. How much of that was just to maneuver you into going to Dallas in the first place?"

"Wait a minute." Sam put his hand out. "What's this about Lafayette? What did he do to him? And how is that connected to this?"

Sookie glared at Tara. "Tara..." she hissed, "I promised Lafayette I wouldn't say anything..." "Yeah, but I didn't," she responded. She turned to Sam. "He caught Lafayette selling V and held him captive at that damned bar of his. Lafayette wasn't on any cruise when he went missing, and he wasn't out chasing men. He was being tortured. The fuckers even shot him in the leg."

Sam's eyes widened. "Holy hell. No wonder he was such a mess when he came back. He wouldn't say a thing." Sam looked at Sookie. "So how's this connected with you going to Dallas?"

"Sookie promised Eric she would help find Godric in return for Lafayette's freedom." said Bill.

Stunned, Sam was quiet. Sookie had put herself into danger to help Lafayette. "I kind'a wondered why you agreed to go in the first place. I know how you feel about him." He thought for a minute. "I guess there's been a whole lot more going on around here than anybody knew. The mess with Rene was a bad enough, but so much of the rest suddenly makes perfect sense. And Bill's right Sookie. You shouldn't be alone."

Sookie huffed with exasperation. "I wish all y'all would quit treating me like a child. I'm a grown woman. I can take care of myself."

"No, you can't, Sookie." Sam spoke in earnest. "Nobody could. Not against this. And you're not quite yourself, either. You're still having trouble keeping your guard up and keeping the noise out of your head. One of these days you're going to be just a little bit too distracted, and then it will be to late."

"Yeah, Sook." Tara interrupted. "You and Lafayette are about the only real family I have. If anything happened to you, that would just leave me with Lafayette, and I know y'all wouldn't wish that on me."

Bill took Sookie's hands in his. "Sookie, you have to let us look out for you. I can't do what I need to do unless I know you are safe. Please, agree to this. If only for my sake."

Sookie could see the pleading in Bill's eyes. He really was worried for her. She looked at Tara and Sam, and saw his concern mirrored in their faces. She cherished her independence, and it galled her that they thought she needed looking after. But she knew how devious Eric could be – wasn't that how she got into this mess in the first place? She didn't want to worry her friends, even though she wasn't sure what they could to do protect her in the event Eric decided to trouble her. But what finally decided her was the look in Bill's eyes. She couldn't bear to cause him pain.

"All right. I don't like it, but if it'll keep all y'all from worrying yourselves to death, I'll do it. Decide what you think needs to be done, and I'll try to go along But I'm not happy about it, not at all."

"Thank you, Sookie." Bill kissed her. Sookie stuck her tongue out at him, and sighed. "OK. What's first?"

"First, I think I ought to move in," said Tara. "You need some help around the house anyway, and that way there'll be somebody there to watch your back.'

"And I'll juggle the work schedules here so either Tara or I will be free to be with you when you're off work," added Sam.

"Well, at least y'all are letting me work, thank goodness. I'd lose my mind if I had to stay home all the time and twiddle my thumbs." Sookie turned to Bill. "What about you?"

"I'll have to make travel arrangements immediately. I'll leave tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? So soon?"

"I see no point in waiting. Any delay is only to Eric's advantage. I don't want this to go on any longer than necessary, Sookie. You've been through enough already."

Sookie looked stricken. "Can you at least spend the rest of tonight with me? I didn't expect this all to happen so fast...I'm not even used to the idea yet." She was suddenly afraid she would never see Bill again. "I...I need time at least to say goodbye..."

"She's right, Bill." Bill turned from Sookie to Sam. "You and Sookie head on home. Tara and I will work things out around here, and we'll make sure Tara gets to Sookie's place with her stuff by dawn. You two need time to say goodbye." Bill looked Sam squarely in the eye. This was the second time in a week he had cause to be grateful to the shifter. In spite of himself, Bill was beginning to develop a grudging respect for Sam. He knew full well what his arrival in Bon Temps had done to Sam's hopes of a relationship with Sookie, and he wasn't sure he could have been as gracious had circumstances been reversed. Unable to trust himself, Bill simply responded, "Thank you, Sam."

...

Bill walked Sookie out to her car. "Sookie, do you mind driving? I can make the travel arrangements from the car so I don't waste any of our time together at home." Sookie's grip on Bill's hand intensified. "Sure," she replied. Bill stopped at the sound of her voice and the feel of her. "Sookie? Why so sad?"

Sookie shook her head, then looked up at Bill. "I'm scared. I'm afraid something will happen to you and I'll never see you again. I'd rather have Eric in my head than have anything happen to you. Do you really have to go?"

"Sookie, you'll never be able to be yourself with Eric over your shoulder every minute. This isn't just for you – it's for me, as well. I can't stand the thought of you being less than yourself. I'm being selfish, I suppose. I want all of you. I don't want to share you with the likes of Eric."

Sookie nodded. "OK. Then let's not think about it. Let's go home. I just need to be with you. But I changed my mind. You drive."


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Sookie unlocked the door to her house and went in, followed by Bill. Flipping on the light switch, she tossed her things on the table and turned to hug her vampire, holding him close and talking into his chest. "I'm going upstairs to shower. I don't want to spend my last night with you before you leave smelling like the bar."

The corner of Bill's mouth lifted in a small smile. "Are you trying to entice me, Sookie?"

Sookie lifted her head and smiled back. "Normally, yes, but not tonight. Y'all take care of what you have to take care of while I wash up, and I'll be right down. OK?"

"Hmm..." Bill licked his lips, managing to make the gesture completely lascivious.

"Now who is enticing who?" Sookie teased.

Bill kissed her on the forehead. "Go. I'll be waiting."

Sookie ran up the stairs and took a hurried shower, scrubbing the smell of Merlotte's from her hair and skin. She had only the remainder of the night with Bill so she didn't want to take any longer than absolutely necessary. Combing out her wet hair and wrapping it in a towel, she went into her bedroom and pulled open the drawer of her dresser, looking for just the right thing. Smiling when she found what she was looking for, Sookie dressed and hurried down the stairs to hear Bill just concluding his call.

Standing in the living room while entering the travel information into his phone, Bill called up to Sookie. "Sookie, everything is arranged..." When he looked up and saw Sookie enter, Bill stopped in mid sentence and gasped. She was wearing the long white negligee she had worn the night she had yielded up her virginity. Her still-damp hair curled around her face and spilled down her shoulders. "Oh, Sookie..."

"Did I pick the right thing?"

To answer her, Bill put his phone on the coffee table, crossed the room and took her in his arms, kissing her roughly until Sookie had to pull away to catch her breath. She looked at Bill and smiled. "Yep. I guess I did..."

Bill's voice was thick with arousal. "You have no idea what it does to me to see you in that particular gown."

"Well, I kind'a thought I would keep it for special occasions."

Bill whispered into her ear. "And what makes this a special occasion for you, Sweetheart?'

"I'm not going to be seeing you for a while, Bill. That makes being with you tonight special."

"All right. The rest of the night is yours. What would you like to do tonight?"

"I just want to be with you. Sit with me?"

Bill escorted Sookie into the living room and sat on the sofa. Sookie climbed into his lap, facing him. With her hands on his shoulders, she closed her eyes and leaned in to kiss him, exploring every corner of his mouth, taking her time and giving him her complete attention. She intended to ensure that her boyfriend had been completely, thoroughly, and extremely well kissed before he left. When she felt the growl building in Bill's chest and felt his fangs extend and nick her lip, she felt that she had achieved her objective. Pulling away from his mouth, she licked the blood from her lip, watching Bill's nostrils flare at the scent. She brushed her hair from her neck and offered it to him, repeating the words of invitation she had spoken to him the first time he had fed from her.

"Do it. I want you to."

"No, Sookie..."

"Please..."

"Sookie, I can't. I'll hurt you if I take any more blood from you tonight."

"Then I'll take some of yours. I don't care. You're going to be in that travel coffin for hours...this way I can be with you. I want you to rest with the taste of my blood on your lips."

Bill was touched by Sookie's offer of herself. Surrendering to her desire and his own, Bill held her face in her hands, kissing her tenderly before taking her by the shoulders and leaning in to nuzzle the base of her neck. He inhaled deeply, and Sookie could feel his hands tighten on her shoulders. "I love your smell..." He slowly ran his tongue up her neck to her ear and growled in anticipation, causing Sookie to shiver.

Breathless and shaking, Sookie stopped him. "Wait, Bill, wait..."

Bill looked at Sookie, and she could see his eyes were dilated and nearly full-black with lust.

"I want to feel you in me when you feed...please..."

Bill slid one hand under Sookie and lifted her effortlessly from his lap, removing his pants and underclothing with the other hand and kicking off his shoes before settling Sookie back down. Sookie unbuttoned his shirt and Bill shrugged it off so that he was now completely undressed. Bill reached around to unfasten the back of Sookie's negligee, carefully pulled it off over her head, and draped it across the back of the sofa. He then began to caress every inch of Sookie's skin until he could feel her tremble.

The hypnotic fragrance of Sookie's freshly-scrubbed flesh was more than Bill could take, and he felt his control slipping away. Bill kissed her as he had longed to since that first night; as a vampire, hungry and without restraint. As she slid her tongue into his waiting mouth, Bill intentionally lacerated it with his fangs, suddenly filling her mouth with blood, and then immediately pierced his own, mingling his blood with hers in a sanguinary kiss that inflamed Bill and Sookie both. The taste of her own blood mixed with Bill's created a degree of arousal that was painful in its intensity, and Sookie's reaction to Bill's kiss was immediate and overwhelming. Her skin became flushed and covered with a sheen of sweat. Her heart began to pound so hard she could feel it in her loins, and her breath, when she could catch it, came in great gulps of air. It wasn't just sex that she needed; it was _**him**_.

Bill could feel Sookie's arousal and, as it approached its zenith, he slammed his erection into her so hard that she was compelled to release his mouth and cry out. Bill sunk his fangs into the tender flesh over Sookie's jugular and she spasmed in a massive orgasm as he fed.

Sookie's odor was intoxicating, more so than it had been earlier in the evening, and more attractive to Bill than it ever had been before. This new redolence impelled his hunger and he fed from her greedily, unable to stop until he realized that she was beginning to lose consciousness and becoming limp in his arms. He forced himself to pull away and opened his wrist, holding it to her lips and allowing her to drink until she was out of danger. The wound on Bill's wrist closed and she released it, licking her lips. She held Bill close and kissed him.

Horrified at how close he had come to draining her, Bill murmured in her ear. "Sookie, I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I couldn't stop...you smelled so good. Please forgive me."

"God, Bill. Don't apologize. It was wonderful. You've never kissed me like that before. You've always been so careful. Promise you'll kiss me like that more often..." Sookie reached up to run a finger affectionately down Bill's fangs. As she pulled her hand away, she noticed a small drop of something glistening on the tip of her finger. It was colorless and viscous, and very difficult to see.

"Sookie? Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing." Curious, she brought her finger to her face and inhaled as Bill watched her. It smelled like Bill. She touched it to her tongue and shuddered, almost fainting from the taste. "God Bill, it tastes like you. This is what I tasted tonight when I kissed you in the woods. What is this?"

Bill examined the substance on her finger. He couldn't smell it, although Sookie obviously could. "I don't know. Whatever it is will have to wait until we get this mess with Eric taken care of."

...

Just shy of an hour until dawn, Bill stood, lifting Sookie in his arms, and kissed her once again. "I have to go, Sweetheart. The airline is picking me up just before dawn, and I need to have everything ready when they arrive with the travel coffin."

"All right." She helped him gather his clothes and dress. "I'm going to miss you, Bill."

"I'll call you as soon as I arrive in Rome."

"Rome? You're going to Rome?"

"Yes."

What's in Rome?"

"The Vatican archives."

Sookie's jaw dropped. "Seriously? The _Vatican_?"

"The Vatican library has preserved an extensive collection of ancient documents of all kinds. I understand that there is a man working in the archives who may be able help. I can't think of a better place to start looking, can you?"

"Well, I never thought about it, but I guess not... but Bill, the Vatican? Will he even help? I'm nobody important..."

"You are to me, Sweetheart."


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Tara pulled up to Sookie's place just as the sun began to rise. She grabbed a few things out of the car and climbed the porch steps, letting herself in with Sookie's spare key. She would go back for her other stuff in a minute.

Tara dropped her backpack and her purse on the floor and made sure to lock the door behind her. She looked around and didn't see Sookie, so she went upstairs to make sure she was all right. She checked Sookie's bedroom and was relieved to see her fast asleep. As she looked closer, she could see the remains of dried tears on her face – and a smudge of what looked like blood at the corner of her mouth.

_Geeze, Sookie. I know you love the guy, but still...that's so gross..."_

Shaking her head, she went downstairs and picked up her things, dropping them into the other bedroom. She looked around her. Although Sookie had finally removed most of Gran's things, the room still looked like she would come back any minute, and Tara had a moment of grief. Gran had treated her better than her own mother had, and she had never forgotten it. It wasn't just Sookie who'd made her feel like she belonged; Gran also had made Tara feel at home, never once questioning Tara's intermittent appearances on the doorstep, never asking awkward questions, never balking at providing for her like she had always been there. Tara was determined to do right by Sookie, for Gran's sake as much as for her friend's.

Tara went out to the car and brought in the rest of her things and added them to the pile in Gran's old room. She then headed outside, locking the door behind her and slipping the key into her pocket. She walked around to the back of the house and across the yard. Ducking beneath the clothesline, she walked to the shed and grabbed a shovel. She pushed her way though Gran's peony bushes and behind the shed. It wasn't that she didn't believe Sookie's story – she didn't think she was lying – but it was just so incredible she had to see for herself. She found the small patch of disturbed earth the morning glories had not yet covered over and began to dig.

Tara didn't have to dig too far down before she found a plastic bag buried there, and she pulled it out, brushing the dirt from it. Sitting down, she pulled it open and pulled out the contents.

It was Sookie's uniform.

The fabric was soaked with dried blood. Tara pulled the stiff folds of the knit top apart and examined it. It was torn and bloody. Dried blood was splashed and spattered across the front and down the sleeve, and there was a very large tear in the shoulder. She turned it over and saw marks on the back. Spreading it on the ground before her, she smoothed the cloth out with her hands and saw distinct boot prints, some merely dirty, others bloody. She turned back to the bag and pulled out the shorts. It was harder to see dried blood on the black denim, but they, too, were stiff with it. Bra and panties were next, and each bore evidence of the blood that had soaked through the outer clothing and onto them, as well. Even the socks and tennis shoes were stained.

Tara sat behind the shed, unable to move. She'd had no idea the Rattray's assault on Sookie had been so violent. She had been unable to imagine it. _"...bad...almost killed me..." "Sookie's back was broken...paralyzed...would have died"_

They had not exaggerated.

Tara felt her eyes fill with tears and she began to sob. She had almost lost the best friend she had ever had, and hadn't even known. It had been kept secret to protect Bill, who had saved her without even knowing her. To protect Gran, who would have been worried beyond imagining. And it only now had been divulged because she had unjustly accused Bill of a crime against that same friend.

Tara was in complete turmoil. She was struggling with two diametrically opposed feelings– fear and gratitude. She couldn't reconcile what Bill was with who he was. She didn't know how Sookie was able to do it. His behavior was all over the map.

She dried her eyes with the back of her hand and placed the bloody clothing back into the bag, closed it carefully, and reburied it. If accusations ever were made against Bill for the murder of the Rattrays, his only defense might well be these bloody clothes. Tara hoped they might never be needed, but the way things had been going, she couldn't count on it.

...

Sookie woke to the familiar noise of Tara in her head, and smiled. Tara had a tendency to mumble to herself. She pushed the noise out of her mind and got up, pulling on her clothes and heading downstairs. Tara was puttering around the kitchen and had made breakfast for them both.

"Hey Tara."

"Hey Sook. Hungry?"

"Yeah, I am, actually. You been here long?"

"I got here at dawn. I didn't want to chance disturbing you and Bill." Tara filled a plate for Sookie, looking up just in time to catch a flash of sadness cross Sookie's face. "He'll be back soon, Sookie. You'll see."

"I hope so, Tara. I miss him already."

"Already? But he would have been gone at sun up anyway..."

"Yeah, but I guess I didn't realize that I could feel him around even during the day. I didn't notice it before, but now that he's so far away, there's a hole that wasn't there before when he was just home asleep."

"Huh. You keep surprising me, Sookie."

"I surprise myself sometimes." Sookie sat at the table.

Tara handed Sookie a napkin along with her plate. "Y'all got a little blood on corner of your mouth, Sook."

"Oh god..." Sookie blushed and looked embarrassed.

"You took blood from Bill last night? I guess it's not just when he's saving your life, then."

Sookie looked down and shook her head.

Tara served herself as well and then sat at the table next to Sookie. After a pause, she spoke. "Look, Sook. I'm trying to wrap my head around this, and I'm having one hell of time. I dug up your clothes..." Sookie looked up at Tara with a questioning expression. "I know y'all wouldn't lie to me, but I just had to see for myself, y'know?" Sookie nodded her understanding, still unable to speak due to her embarrassment.

"So, will y'all explain it to me? 'Cause I just don't get it. The whole thing is making my brain ache. I can't seem to get past what Bill is. I can't figure out a way to deal with this Jekyll-and-Hyde thing he has going on."

Sookie could see that Tara was telling her the truth. "I don't know what to tell you, Tara. But go ahead and ask me what y'all are dying to ask."

"Sookie, do you really love this guy? I mean, really? You say you do, but y'all haven't known him hardly any time at all. How do you know he hasn't glamoured you or something?"

"Oh God, Tara. I love him so much it hurts. And no, he didn't glamour me. He can't."

"What do you mean, he can't? He said something last night about it, but I didn't catch it."

"I asked Bill about that hypnosis thing that night at Gran's, and he explained it. I asked him to try it on me. I had to badger him into it. So, he tried it – and it doesn't work on me. I can feel it, I mean, Eric's even tried to glamor me, and those other vamps that came into Merlotte's that night, but it just doesn't work. I don't know why, and neither does Bill. He was surprised; I guess I'm the first person he's met that glamour doesn't work on."

Sookie looked Tara in the eye. "I know that's not what y'all are really wondering about. So go ahead. Spit it out."

"All right. What the hell's going on between you two with all the blood, Sookie? I mean, it's really gross. When I looked in on you this morning and saw blood on your mouth I nearly lost it."

"Tara, he's a vampire..."

"Yeah, I get it, but I don't get it. So explain it to me, will you?"

"Oh geeze..." Sookie blushed bright red and looked down at the table. "Vampires...well, oh god, how do I explain it...there's a really strong connection between feeding and sex in a vampire. They can't really to separate the two; it's just part of what a vampire is. One usually leads to the other. So, because Bill and I are a couple, he doesn't feed on anybody but me. Otherwise he drinks synthetic blood. But Bill's unusual for a vampire. They're usually not so...so monogamous." Sookie quickly glanced at Tara to see how she was reacting, then looked back down. She couldn't keep talking about this if she had to look Tara in the face at the same time. "When a vampire feeds on a human, he gets really, really aroused. Sometimes just the smell of blood is enough to set it off, and vampires have really acute senses. Bill can smell me from a long way off, and when he's close, like in the same room, he can actually smell my blood right through the skin. It gets pretty difficult for him to control himself sometimes."

"You mean sex."

"Yeah." Sookie's blush deepened and she got even more embarrassed. "Um, I did something last night that really got him excited and, well, he got a little out of control and took more blood than usual. I got a little woozy and so he gave me some of his blood, you know, to heal me."

"Shit Sookie...How often does he use you for dinner? Y'all had fresh marks on your neck at the bar last night."

"No, Tara, wait...please. Don't be mad at Bill. Yes, he did feed on me before we came into the bar. Later was my idea. He refused at first, but I really wanted him to."

Tara's eyebrows lifted and she just stared at Sookie. "He didn't want to, but you talked him into it? Y'all are pulling my leg, right?"

"Oh geeze, Tara, this is so embarrassing. Bill never, ever feeds on me without my permission. And I can't really remember the last time he asked. Usually, I offer. I can tell when he's hungry."

"You offer..."

Sookie decided just to blurt it all out and get it over with. She was about as embarrassed as she had ever been in her life. "Oh hell, Tara, I like it. It's not just Bill who gets excited. Sometimes I can't wait to feel his fangs. He's so damned sexy...God, Tara, sometimes I have an orgasm just from the bite."

"Y'all are kidding me, right?"

Sookie looked at her solemnly and shook her head. Then both Sookie and Tara exploded in laughter, and it took several minutes before they could even look at one another without triggering another round.

Wiping tears of laughter from her eyes and finally able to catch her breath, Tara said, "Damn, Sook, you're as bad as Jason."

"Yeah, I guess I am."

"So what's it like, Sookie, having sex with a vampire? Really. You hear all kinds of stories, but you're the only person I know that I can ask."

"I don't know what to tell you, Tara. Bill was my first. I haven't had sex with anybody else, so I don't have anything to compare it to. But he's so, so sexy. And considerate. And oh my God, can he kiss."

"Don't the fangs get in the way?"

"Oh my, yes. A French kiss with a vampire, with those fangs, and he doesn't need to come up for air...oh Lord. And Tara, the way he _tastes._ I wish I had the words to describe how good he tastes when he kisses me."

"Well, I know y'all are telling me the truth. Your face lights up when you talk about him."

Sookie's grin got even wider. "I guess the thing you need to remember about Bill is that he's not human anymore. He's a predator, and he doesn't hurt me because he loves me. Otherwise, he could kill me. He's like a wild animal – he's not really tame. He controls himself because he wants to, but it's not easy for him. There's a part of him that's still human, and that's not usual for a vampire, either. He's worked so hard to hang onto that part of himself, Tara. I wish you knew just how hard it's been. You two are a lot alike, you know. Bill's had as much difficulty accepting himself as a vampire as you have." Sookie started to tear up.

"What's wrong, Sook?"

"Oh Tara, Bill's been through so much. The pain he has been through...suffering, really, since he was turned. It's been just awful for him. That's why I got so mad at y'all last night when you accused him of forcing himself on me. He never would."

Tara reached across to hold Sookie's hand.

"Bill was so gentle my first time. I was so scared. I wanted him so much, but after what Uncle Bartlett did to me..."

"Uncle Bartlett? That old guy who came to Gran's funeral? Y'all got really upset when he showed up."

"Yeah. He used to...um...when I was little... That's why Gran threw him out."

Tara's mouth gaped. "No shit..."

"So, Bill was extra careful with me my first time. If he hadn't been, I don't think I'd ever been able to deal with what Uncle Bartlett did to me. He's still careful. Sometimes I wish he wouldn't be...I really like it when he lets that vampire part of him out."

"I'm sorry, Sookie. There's so much about vampires, and Bill, that I just don't know anything about. But, I do know you, so if you say he can be trusted, then I trust your judgement. I guess I'll get over the fear, eventually."

"Well, don't. Bill's not like most vampires. There are a lot like Eric, so stay scared. Just don't be so scared of Bill, OK?"

"OK. Your breakfast is getting cold."


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Sookie was bent over the sink in the bathroom at the bar, holding a cool, damp paper towel to her forehead. _Geeze, does everybody have to be so loud today?_ She was about half way through her break and needed to get some air. Tossing the towel in the trash, she left the restroom and headed out back. She sat down beneath a tree and tried to focus to clear her mind of the noise. Bill had left about 14 hours ago, and if he had not already arrived at his destination, he would shortly. _Bill said the trip would be between 12 and 16 hours, depending on the route...He'll be hungry when he gets there..._ She wondered if he was OK. Only gone half a day, and she missed him already. It had been comforting to know that he was sleeping at home during the day; out of sight, but not gone. But now, he was so far away that even that comfort was denied her. She said a quick prayer for his safety, then got up and went back to work, her break over.

...

It had been pretty busy throughout the day, and Sam hadn't had much of a chance to talk to Sookie outside of work concerns. There was a lull at the bar when Sookie came up to get another pitcher of beer. "How's it going, Sook? Did Bill catch his flight OK?"

"Yeah, he did."

"Where'd he head off to, anyway?"

"Rome. The Vatican. Can you believe it? My mind's still spinning."

"Wow. I guess when he said he couldn't do research here, he wasn't kidding. That's a long flight."

Sam was just putting the pitcher of beer on her tray when Sookie's cell phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket and checked the caller ID. "Sam, it's Bill – it is OK if I take this out back?"

"Sure Sookie. Table four for the beer, right?"

"Yep." Sookie hollered over her shoulder as she was running out the back door, answering the her phone at the same time. "Bill? Hello? Are you OK?"

"Sookie, yes, I'm fine, Sweetheart. I just got to the hotel. It's a little before 3 a.m. here, so I have time to order some blood and make plans for after sunset. What time do you get off tonight?"

"Early, at 10, so I only have a couple hours left of my shift. I miss you."

"Already? It's been less than a day."

"Yes, already."

"Well then, if you miss me that much, I'll expect you to be wearing that gown when I get home..."

"Oh geeze, Bill...don't get me all worked up unless you're here to do something about it. It's mean. But I'll make sure it's handy."

"Thank you. I'll rest well today with that image in my mind."

"How long will you be gone?"

"I don't know. I have some information on the archivist, but whether or not I will be able to contact him right away is questionable. The folks at the library tend to keep human hours, so I don't know how long it will take me to make the arrangements. And that's assuming he is willing to see me at all..."

"Well, let me know, OK? I'm on pins and needles here until you get back."

"All right. And you be careful, too. I want you safe when I do get back. I have plans for you and that special gown of yours.

Sookie smiled. "OK Bill. I'll let you go now; I know you're hungry and you have things to do before the sun comes up. I love you."

"I love you, too, Sweetheart."

"Bye Bill."

"Goodbye, Sookie."

...

Sookie pulled up to the house and turned off the ignition. Her head hurt, and she felt like her skull was too tight for her brain. It was another day full of loud thoughts and her headache, which had been easing over the last few days, was now back worse than ever. She leaned her head on the steering wheel for a moment trying to get her mind off the pain. She focused on her previous night with Bill and her phone conversation with him earlier in the day, and managed a small smile. She would have to plan something special for his return. But for now, she just wanted something cool on her forehead and someplace to put up her feet.

Tara looked up from the magazine she was reading as Sookie came in from work. She didn't like what she saw. Sookie looked worn out, and she wasn't walking with her usual peppy gait.

"Hey Sook. How y'all doing?"

"Hey Tara. I'm hanging in, I guess." Sookie dropped her purse on the kitchen table. She crossed to the sink and grabbed a clean dishcloth, ran it under cool water from the tap and wrung it out. Joining Tara in the livingroom, Sookie plunked herself down on the sofa and toed off her sneakers and socks. She put her feet on the coffee table and leaned back into the cushions with a sigh, draping the cloth over her forehead.

"Your head hurts again."

Sookie spoke softly to keep her head from pounding. "Oh geeze, yeah. It's like everybody who came into Merlotte's today was hollering in my head."

"You want an aspirin or something?"

"No thanks, Tara. I just want to close my eyes for a minute and relax."

Sookie was quiet for a few minutes, and Tara went back to her magazine. After a bit, Sookie spoke. "Bill called. His flight got in."

Tara's ears perked up. "Yeah? You never got around to telling me where he was going."

"He's in Rome, can you believe it?"

"Rome? What the hell's he doing there?"

"He says he going to talk to somebody from the Vatican library. Somebody called an archivist, whatever that is..."

"Really? When's that happening?

"Bill doesn't know. He's not even sure if he will see him, but he going to try." Sookie winced from the pain in her head, and Tara was concerned. She turned back to her reading, and she and Sookie sat in comfortable silence. After a giving Sookie a chance to relax, Tara put down her magazine and headed to the kitchen. She came back with a stack of mail.

"I picked up the mail at the post office."

"I still don't know why Sam had my mail held."

"Well, I guess he figured that it would be one less reason for somebody to be poking around the house. This way if the mailman shows up, y'all will know he's not really the mailman."

"I still think everybody's being a bit too paranoid."

"Yeah, well humor us." Tara flipped through the mail. "It's mostly junk...but y'all got a letter from Jason, Sook."

"Finally!" Sookie sat up quickly but thought better of it as her head began to pound again. "Oh Lord, I shouldn't have done that..."

"You want me to read it to you?"

"Would you Tara? I'm dying to hear it, but my head is really hurting." Sookie leaned back into the cushions and closed her eyes.

Tara ripped open the envelope and read aloud:

_Dear Sookie_

_Hey from California. I finally got some time off and got some sleep so thot I would write. Jessica and Hoyt say hello too. Hoyt specially says to say thanx to bill for letting Jessica come and for finding a place for her to stay. Hes real happy. He sprained his ankle the first week here real bad so they took him off the lines and put him on daytime dispatch. Hes going to be lade up for about 2 more months so he gets to spend every nite with Jess and is real happy bout that. I guess he don't need to do much walking with Jess. _

"Geeze, Sookie. I don't know what's worse– his handwriting or his spelling. "

"Uh huh. Except for sports, Jason didn't take much to school. What else does he say?"

_Hoyt's friends from Mississippi are in the same crew as me. They've been out here working the fire lines before so they are showing me the ropes. Robbie's worked fire season here for 4 years and the money is pretty good. Theres even smoke jumpers here. They jump out of planes into the fires and they are way too crazy for me. We work 3 weeks straight and then get 4 days off. most of the fellas spend the time off in camp sleeping but I only slept in one day and then went to visit San Francisco. it's close to the fire we are working and I just couldnt pass it up. Its real pretty and looks just like it does on TV. I never saw so many people in one place before, and a lot of them are really strange. Lafayette would like it. The way he dresses nobody would even notice. he would fit in real good. I never thought I would miss Bon Temps and plain old vampires. compared to some of the folks out here they are pretty normal. _

_We had a earthquake here last week. The folks here said it was just a 3 pointer and didn't even seem to notice it, but I think I like tornados better. At least you can hide from a tornado._

_well sis, I got to go. They are setting up for dinner and you know I hate to miss a meal. Tell everybody hey for me. I guess I will be home when everything is done burning here and you can tell me all about your trip to Dallas. _

_I love you Sook_

_Jason _

Tara put the letter back into its envelope. "Whatever prompted Jason to go to California, anyway?"

Sookie rubbed her forehead as she answered. "Oh, Hoyt heard about the job from some friends of his in Jackson who've worked out there before. Their fire crew was short a couple of guys. He thought it would be a great way to get away from his momma, so he jumped at it. I think Jason just went 'cause Hoyt was going. I don't think he thought about it for even a minute."

"And Jessica's there with Hoyt..."

"Yeah. She was all worried about him when she heard he got hurt, and about drove Bill crazy wheedling him to go, so he let her. Don't tell anybody though. If it get's back to Hoyt's momma she'll give him a world of grief. She's still not too happy about her 'boy' going out with a vampire."

Tara snorted in disgust. "That woman'd oughta let loose of those apron strings."

"Y'all won't get any argument from me."

Sookie was quiet again, and Tara went back to her reading. When she next looked up, Sookie was fast asleep. Tara pulled Gran's afghan over her and dimmed the lights so as not to disturb her friend. Then she sat back in her chair and propped her feet on the table, chewing on a fingernail and trying not to worry.

...

The next night Sookie closed the bar with Tara and they drove home together. Sookie's headache was not one bit better, and the noisy thoughts of Merlotte's customers had really gotten to her. She hated to admit it, but she was glad to have Tara around. There was no way she would have been able to drive home safely. She could hardly think, much less concentrate on the road. They pulled up to Sookie's house and climbed out of the car. Tara went straight inside to fix a light snack for them both. Sookie hadn't had much of an appetite, but Tara wanted to make sure she got some nourishment into her.

Sookie, meanwhile, wasn't ready to go in. She sat on the glider on the porch, in the cool breeze and the quiet, and leaned over, one hand on the arm rest and the other supporting her head. Eyes closed, she gently rocked back and forth on the glider, timing the rhythm to her breathing and trying to think about something else besides her pain. Bill had sent her a text earlier; he had arranged to meet the man from the library. She hoped that meant he would be home soon. She missed him. She hadn't had even a minute to plan for Bill's homecoming, so she attempted it now, trying to devise a romantic welcome.

"Miss me?"

Sookie groaned. "Oh geeze, Eric. Just when I thought my day couldn't get any worse..."


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Bill looked at his watch. The gentleman was late, but not very. He had been in Rome a couple of days trying to arrange to meet the archivist, and finally had succeeded. Bill looked out over the _strada_ from the table at the sidewalk café where he had been told to wait, restlessly turning a warm glass of blood in his hands. Suddenly, Bill was approached by a short, rather rotund man who shuffled quickly through the crowd and into the café. He was of middle age with red cheeks and curly brown hair which seemed to be in a perpetual state of disarray. He wore a white Dominican habit and rather scruffy sandals. His face was enlivened by a broad, toothy grin.

"Mr. Compton? I'm Brother Bede." Bill rose to greet him.

"No, no, no, don't get up for me." He pulled a chair up to the table and sat across from Bill, talking nonstop. "I see you already have something to drink. It's that synthetic blood, isn't it? How wonderful! Quite...quite." He waved vigorously at a passing waiter. "Cameriere, un bicchiere di vino della casa, per favore." Having ordered a glass of the house wine, he then spent the next few minutes fiddling with his chair, mumbling to himself, and generally getting himself settled before addressing Bill again.

"My, my, Mr. Compton. Please forgive my excitement. You're the first vampire I have ever met, and it's quite thrilling. Oh my, my, thrilling indeed!" He spread his hands wide with happiness. "I feel quite like a schoolboy again, let out for summer vacation...a whole new world is in front of me!"

Bill wondered if this garrulous man was really the archivist he had been told to expect.

"Brother Bede, I was told that you may be able to help me..."

"Yes, yes...perhaps. We shall see, shan't we? I'm completely flummoxed that you were directed to me, of all people. I'm just a low-level functionary within the library. I've been poking around those old shelves for years, but I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would think it worth their while to talk to me. There are so many real scholars available, Mr. Compton. I am at a loss as to why you do not seek out someone more qualified to help you. I am nobody, nobody."

"I was informed that there is no one whose overall knowledge of the contents of the library is as extensive as yours. I was hoping you could tell me if what I am looking for is in the archives."

"Yes, yes. I see, I see. Well, I shall do my best, poor as that may be, to be worthy of your confidence. What is it, exactly, that you are looking for, Mr. Compton?" Brother Bede folded his hands together on the table and leaned forward, giving the vampire his complete attention. Bill was convinced that a bomb could go off at the next table and the man's concentration wouldn't waver.

"I need to know if the archives contain any information on how to break a blood bond between a vampire and a human, preferably without harm to the human."

"I see, I see. And this knowledge you seek, I take it, is not simply a theoretical exercise?"

"It is not. An acquaintance of mine is afflicted by such a bond."

Brother Bede leaned back and shook his finger at Bill like a schoolmaster reprimanding a wayward pupil. "Tsk tsk, Mr. Compton. You are being disingenuous, I think. It is not an acquaintance. No, no, no. This is someone you love. 'The eyes are the window of the soul' Mr. Compton. Your eyes betray you."

Surprised that the brother could read him so easily, Bill had the grace to look sheepish. This man was not as inane as he first appeared. "Forgive me, Brother Bede. It has been a long time since I was human, and candor is not a survival trait for vampires. As for my soul – I am dead; I have no soul."

"Ahh! The question exactly!" Brother Bede fairly shook with excitement. He pulled his chair even closer to Bill and leaned in eagerly. "The Revelation has put quite the pressure on Mother Church, Mr. Compton. The question of the state of the soul of the vampire has been debated _in camera _for centuries...centuries!" He clapped his hands together with delight. "Your folk have truly put the wind up the cassocks of the magisterium. They no longer have ages to decide the question." His voice lowered and his expression became more intent. "Vampires were born human, each with an immortal soul. Does the soul survive the turning? Does the soul exist yet no longer inhabit the animated body? What is the state of a Christian's salvation after the turning? What is a vampire's part in God's plan? Now, those are questions worthy of the asking! Truly, I am excited!" Brother Bede nearly fidgeted himself right out of his chair.

In spite of himself, the corner of Bill's mouth lifted in a small smile. The friar's enthusiasm was quite contagious, and he could not help but compare his attitude with that of the members of the Fellowship of the Sun. "Had I more time, and were my need less urgent, I would enjoy discussing such questions with you, Brother. But for now, my... my loved one is not safe and I dare not delay. Can you help me?"

"Well, that I do not know. But do not despair! I seem to remember the odd reference here and there...long ago. My, my, my... my mind is dustier than an old boot, I'm afraid." Brother Bede stopped and appeared suddenly to be lost in thought. After a moment he seemed to remember himself with an abrupt start, "It is midweek, is it not? Can you meet me here on Friday, after Vespers?"

"When is Vespers, Brother?"

"Oh forgive me, Mr. Compton. I forget that you are a civilian!" Bill was amused at the characterization. "Vespers is at sunset. Can you meet me after sunset? I shall be here directly after the brothers finish the Divine Office."

"I shall be here."

"Wonderful! Wonderful!" The friar downed his glass of wine and hurriedly got to his feet, putting his hand on Bill's shoulder and patting him amiably. "Do not fret, Mr. Compton. I ask only that you pray. God will provide. Yes, yes, yes..."

Brother Bede shuffled off in haste, talking to himself all the while. Although the meeting had lasted only a few minutes, Bill felt as if a whirlwind had visited him and set his head spinning, its rapid departure leaving sudden silence in its wake. He wondered if God would deign to hear the prayer of a vampire. Perhaps he could add that to Brother Bede's list of worthy questions.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Sookie sat back in the glider and looked at Eric as he leaned against the railing of the porch. She was tired, she hurt, and this was the last thing she needed. "What are you doing here?"

Eric grinned smugly at Sookie. _Geeze, I hate it when he does that,_ she thought.

"Do I need a reason to visit, Sookie? Perhaps I'm just feeling sociable."

Sookie snorted. "Please. Y'all have never been 'sociable' in your life. And you never do anything without a reason. What do you want?"

"Let's just say I'm checking on my investment."

"I am _not_ an 'investment,' Eric. I'm a person. Y'all need to remember that."

"A condition that's highly over rated. I've invested my blood in you Sookie, something I rarely do. You should be flattered."

"You have a mighty high opinion of yourself. I didn't ask for it, Eric. I don't want it, and I don't want you, either in my head or out of it. You had no business tricking me like you did."

"Your abilities are an asset too valuable to be wasted. I have some profitable opportunities arising for which I will require your particular talents, and I want to make sure that I can find you when I need you."

"I told you in Dallas that I was done. I won't help you again."

"You may find that difficult now that you are bonded to me by blood."

"Y'all are such an ass, Eric. All you had to do was ask me. Not trick me, not demand that Bill produce me, just ask."

"There was always the possibility that you would refuse."

"Yeah, there was. But y'all pretty much guaranteed that now, didn't you?"

"You may find it difficult to refuse if, say, your friend Tara were to meet with an accident."

"You can't force me to do what you want by threatening my friends, Eric. How about I tell your magister that I was willing to help until you tricked me into taking your blood against my will? I can offer my talent to him in exchange for getting you to back off. I won't let you control me, and I won't let you threaten the people I love."

Eric's grin returned at Sookie's show of bravado. "Why Ms. Stackhouse, how fierce you are." Then the grin disappeared. "I don't respond well to threats, Sookie."

"Neither do I. Now get the hell off my porch, Eric."

Eric's smug smile returned and he disappeared into the darkness.

Tara came out to the porch with a couple of BLTs and some lemonade. As she turned to hand Sookie her plate, she was surprised to see tears running down her cheeks.

"Sookie? What's wrong?"

"Eric was here."

"Mother fucking son of a bitch. When?"

Sookie sniffed and wiped her nose with the napkin. "Just now, while you were inside."

"Damn, he has a lot of nerve. What'd he want?"

"Nothing, really. He just wanted to rub it in...check on his 'investment' as he calls it."

Tara was too angry to speak. She put down her plate and sat next to Sookie on the glider, arm around her shoulder, just trying to comfort her. Eventually, when she was calm enough to speak, she addressed her friend. "Sookie, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you alone out here."

"It's OK, Tara. Better y'all were inside. Now that he's got his damned blood in me he's not going to hurt me. I'm too 'valuable' to him. But he wouldn't hesitate to hurt anybody I care about."

"Y'all want me to call Bill or Sam or somebody?"

"No. There's nothing they can do now, 'cept worry. But I guess I won't be sitting outside at night for a while." Sookie rubbed her face with her hands and took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure. "So, what'd you make, Tara? It looks good..."

Surprised, Tara responded. "You really want to eat? Now?"

"Yeah. I don't want that asshole to think he got the best of me. I'm going to sit on my porch and enjoy every bit of that sandwich you made me, and to hell with Eric Northman."


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Friday arrived to find Bill again sitting at the same table, in the same café, turning another glass of blood in his hands and awaiting the arrival of Brother Bede. On the table next to him was a glass of the house wine which he had ordered for the man. He had gone to the café straight upon waking. He had no idea how long Vespers would take, but he didn't want to chance being late.

"Mr. Compton! Mr. Compton!" Bill looked up to see Brother Bede waving at him as he crossed the _strada_, wending his way through the traffic and sidestepping a speeding Vespa with a practiced maneuver before he reached the café, all out of breath.

"Hello, hello, my friend... you are very prompt, I see. That is a very rare thing to be in a Mediterranean country, Mr. Compton. If you are not careful, people will think you are a tourist and take advantage of you." Bill smiled to himself as Brother Bede arrived like a gust of wind, all fidgets and tics.

"I took the liberty of ordering you a glass of wine, Brother Bede."

"Thank you, thank you, Mr. Compton. How very kind...yes, yes, yes..." Brother Bede got himself settled at the table. "What a task you set for me, Mr. Compton! Quite enjoyable, I must say...there are nooks and crannies in the archives that I had not visited in simply ages...oh my, my.. ages."

"Were you able to find anything?"

"Well, yes and no, my friend. I'm afraid the library does not contain the information you are looking for. I searched everywhere I could think of, Mr. Compton, everywhere..."

Bill's face showed his disappointment.

"...but, I did find mention of another source of information which may be of use to you in your search."

Bill's focused his attention on Brother Bede and leaned forward.. "Another source? What did you find?

"There were some vague references to an _unwritten_ body of knowledge, Mr. Compton, one consisting of traditional wisdom, anecdotes, old wives' tales, legends, and the like. It was mentioned in various documents from multiple sources, times, and cultures. I found enough to convince me that this oral lore did, in fact, exist as a body of traditional knowledge and was not merely a fable. Reasonable evidence, my friend, but not absolute. Do you understand?"

"Yes. You're telling me that each reference appears to be independent of the others, and not simply repeating the same story."

"Exactly! Yes, yes, yes... You have the mind of a scholar, Mr. Compton...I believe what they have in common is that each was written by someone who had actually heard some of this oral learning from those who knew it, not merely repeating second- or third-hand information."

"Were there any details?"

"A few, Mr. Compton, a very few. In their own way, each document referred to a type of shaman or physician, one who commonly deals with supernatural beings...werewolves, vampires, and the like..."

Bill sat back in surprise. "Healers?" he asked.

"Yes! That was the term. Oh my, my... What's wrong, Mr. Compton?"

Bill shook his head. "Nothing, really, Brother Bede. It just that it was an awfully long way to come to discover that what I am looking for may be in my own back yard."

"Really? Then healers still exist?" Brother Bede's eyebrows lifted in wonder.

"Yes, they do."

"Oh my, my! How absolutely wonderful!" He clapped his hands together, happiness brightening his face. "Did I not tell you when we met that I felt a whole new world was in front of me? I never expected...I mean... really... really..." The brother was giddy with excitement, so much so that he was nearly speechless.

The vampire and the friar sat in silence at the café for while, each pondering his own thoughts. Brother Bede finally broke the silence.

"So what will you do now, Mr. Compton?"

"Well, I'll book the first available flight home and try to contact a healer, and continue my search there."

"If I may ask, where is home for you?"

"A small town in Louisiana – Bon Temps. I lived there during my human life."

"I can't imagine the changes you have seen...oh my, my." After a pause, the friar continued. "Will you permit me to pray for you and your loved one?"

Taken aback, Bill looked up. "What?"

"I mean no offense, Mr. Compton. Oh my, my...please forgive me. I am simply asking if I may pray for you and your loved one."

"No, no, you misunderstand me. I am not offended. I'm surprised..."

"Surprised? That I would want to pray for you? Why?"

"I'm sorry, Brother. It's just that in my last encounter with a Christian church they were preparing to bind a vampire to a stake at dawn burn him in the sun... The pastor later sent a suicide bomber who caused the death of many, vampires and humans alike. I'm afraid I'm unused to kindness from a member of the church."

"_**Believers**_ did this? Are you serious?" Brother Bede was aghast.

"Unfortunately, I am completely serious."

"But...but...that's vile!"

Bill watched Brother Bede and could see how shaken the man was. Horror and revulsion chased each other across his face in a fugue of emotion.

Completely flustered, the brother stammered apologetically. "I'm sorry, Mr. Compton...please forgive my lack of composure. I'm just... just so mortified that anyone professing a belief in Christ actually could do such a thing...God forgive them...I understand why you were startled. Oh my, my...I don't know what to say..."

Bill gave the friar a small smile. "You're reaction says more than enough, Brother Bede. I would be honored to have a human like you pray for us. I also want to thank you for your help."

Pulling himself together, Brother Bede straightened in his chair and looked Bill in the face; his expression one of complete sincerity. "It was my pleasure, Mr. Compton. Perhaps we will see each other again?"

"Perhaps." Bill got up from the table. "Thank you again, Brother. I'm afraid I must leave immediately. With any luck, I may be able to book an early flight home. Please stay and enjoy your wine." For the first time since he had been turned, Bill offered his hand in farewell. Brother Bede took it in both hands and shook it solemnly.

"Go with God, Mr. Compton."


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

In spite of her encounter with Eric the night before, Sookie seemed to be her old self at work the next day. She'd received a text from Bill; he would be home by Saturday night and she couldn't wait to see him. Though her head still hurt, she moved with her usual quick steps around the dining room and the bar.

"Well, y'all are looking pretty good today, Sooks. What's up?"

"Thanks, Sam. I feel pretty good. Bill's coming home. The airline is delivering his travel coffin Saturday night."

Sam wiped down the bar as he spoke. "Did he have any luck finding what he was looking for?"

"Y'know Sam, he didn't say, and honestly, I'm so glad he's coming home I don't even care." Sookie's face lit up as she spoke.

"Well, I suppose y'all are going to need some time off to welcome him home..."

"Sam..." Sookie blushed with embarrassment.

"...and since Tara will probably be in the way, she can cover for you. Take off Saturday and Sunday, Sook, and tell Bill he owes me."

Sookie ran around to the back of the bar and threw her arms around Sam in a huge hug.

...

Sookie had racked her brain trying to come up with just the right thing to welcome Bill back to Bon Temps. She finally thought she had come up with a way to express how much he meant to her. She hoped that he wouldn't be too disappointed that it didn't include the "special" gown he was expecting. She had spent the morning shopping and eventually had to go all the way to Shreveport to find what she needed. It was too close to Fangtasia for her tastes, but she wasn't going to let that stop her from welcoming Bill home properly. By the time she got back home, she had just enough time to shower and make her preparations.

...

Bill was delivered home shortly after dark. If he had taken the next flight, he could have traveled home in the airline's limo instead of in a coffin in the back of a van, but he was eager to see Sookie and didn't want to put it off any longer than he had to.

When Bill arrived at the house, he could feel Sookie; she was filled with excitement which excited Bill in turn. He brought his luggage in from the porch and, leaving it in the foyer, ran up the stairs to shower. Sookie was always so considerate in that way. She always made an effort to smell good for him, and after his long journey he wanted to do the same for her. He stripped off his clothing and left it on the floor of the bathroom, took a hurried shower, dried off, and went into the bedroom to dress. As he walked into the room he saw Sookie's overnight bag on the floor near the bed.

_She's already here..._

Bill grabbed a robe and pulled it on as he hurried downstairs. He stopped at the bottom of the staircase to concentrate on her, sensing her location. He was surprised that she was outside, but he could feel her anticipation.

...

Sookie was far behind Bill's house, nearly to the woods, but still was able to see the lights of a van come up the drive. She had thought long and hard about this night, and was determined that when it came time for Bill to go to ground he would do so completely satisfied. She looked around quickly, nervously checking her preparations for the umpteenth time. _God, I hope he likes this..._ As the vehicle pulled away from the house, Sookie picked up a small, sharp knife and made the last of her preparations.

...

Bill followed his senses and went outside. He could smell Sookie; the sweet smell of her skin and her blood both. The odor of her blood was quite strong, but over the past few weeks he had grown accustomed to being able to smell her better and at a greater distance. He followed Sookie's scent behind the house and stopped abruptly. She was illuminated by the nascent moon, and he was unable to believe what he saw .

"Sookie..."

Sookie's face was lit with a brilliant smile. "Welcome home, Bill."

Bill could see her at the far end of the yard under the same oak where he had held her the night of her fugue. As he had done for her that night, Sookie had spread a quilt on the ground and padded the base of the oak tree with cushions from her grandmother's sofa. Her hair was loose and fell around her shoulders like a pale cloud. She stood barefoot on the quilt, quietly waiting for him, her hands clasped demurely in front of her skirts. And what skirts they were – Sookie wore a petticoat of simple white cotton eyelet that hugged her low at the hips and billowed out around her nearly to the ground...and nothing else. Bill's nostrils flared and his eyes darkened at the smell of her. He walked toward her slowly, completely entranced.

As he got closer, Bill's eyes widened in astonishment.

_She did this for me..._

Sookie had cut herself just beneath the collarbone, and blood ran down her chest and over the skin of her left breast. Overwhelmed, Bill was unable to take his eyes from her. When he reached Sookie, he took her by the shoulders and kissed her, then lowered his mouth to the wound on her chest and fed, groaning in pleasure at the taste. Sookie leaned into him, holding him close. She slipped her hands into his robe and caressed him, whispering his name over and over. She had missed him so much.

Licking the wound to help it close, Bill continued down her breast, savoring every drop of blood. He looked into her eyes with amazement, running his fingers through her hair, then buried his face in her soft tresses, inhaling deeply.

Bill removed his robe and lifted Sookie in his arms, sitting down with her against the tree as he had done on that other, terrible night. With Sookie facing him on his lap, Bill gave her lips his complete attention, lavishing kisses on her mouth before moving to her face and neck. He stroked her skin with a cool fingers until Sookie trembled in his arms. She moaned in pleasure, so glad to be with him again, the stillness of his mind comforting her as much as his hands.

The embrace of Bill's strong arms aroused her, and she could feel wetness escape her body. Sookie leaned in to kiss him and the taste of his mouth was intoxicating. She kissed him hungrily, passionately, and in her excitement she carelessly cut her lip on his fangs. Bill's arousal grew as well, spurred by the feel of her warm wetness on his lap and the taste of her bloody kiss. Sookie could feel the low growl beginning to build in his chest. Gasping for breath, she pulled away from him, only to have Bill clutch her tightly and pull her back, nuzzling her neck. Sookie had anticipated this, waiting and hoping for Bill to do just this. As he yanked her close, Sookie took a deep breath and bit him.

He lost it.

Sookie bit him hard enough to break the skin and Bill lost all control. Everything that was human in him disappeared and he became completely vampire. He slammed her onto the ground with a roar and ravaged her, sinking his fangs into her flesh over the jugular. Sookie sucked hard on the wound she had made, taking in his blood as simultaneous climaxes took them over, writhing beneath him uncontrollably as he violently impaled her.

She screamed.

Bill slid his hands beneath her back and seized her shoulders with brutal fingers, pulling Sookie to him and locking her onto his erection. She hung on to him for dear life, gasping for breath between screams while Bill slammed his fangs into her breast, sucking blood savagely from the nipple and riding her hard, at the same time inflaming her uncontrollably with his growls. Sookie convulsed and bucked beneath him as he pounded his organ into her over and over again, bottoming out and slamming into her cervix with every thrust, driving her into the hard earth and filling her with semen.

Bill fucked her relentlessly until she thought he would tear her in two. Her screams as he ravished her were punctuated only by her intermittent and desperate gasps for air. Over and over he rammed his engorged penis into her, one orgasm following another, filling her with his semen again and again until the quilt was soaked with it. His violence increased and he rode her viciously. Sookie clutched him desperately throughout the brutal pounding into her body, her legs locked around his back. Tearing himself from her breast, he slammed his fangs into the top of her shoulder, ripping it open. Blood poured from the wound and he gorged himself.

_Lord forgive me, I want this..._

Sookie wanted Bill, all of him, and for the first time he took her as vampire – without the restraint or measured control that kept the vampire part of him contained and subdued. This time Bill would be completely sexually satisfied, and she wanted him to be. She wanted to be whatever he needed, in bed or out of it. She was his, and for the first time she embraced it completely.

Sookie astonished herself by how much she wanted him to lose control. As he ravaged her over and over, she discovered within her a lust and a hunger to match his, and it made her delirious. She wanted all of him. She wanted his savagery as much as his tenderness. The tremendous strength of his vampire body and the overwhelming power of his vampire lust inflamed her so much that she didn't care what Bill did to her. Every pain he caused, every wound he inflicted was further evidence of his brutal power and only served to increase her arousal. He was magnificent. There was nothing he could do to her that could diminish her love and desire for him. He was her one, true love and she would never, ever let him go.

...

Shuddering in the aftermath of his final orgasm, Bill slowly, slowly regained control of himself. After several minutes he softly kissed the healing fang marks he'd left on her breast and shoulder, and she felt wetness hit her skin. Still shaking uncontrollably and gasping for breath, she pulled his head up with trembling hands to see his face. His eyes were slowly returning to their usual clear blue. They were welling in red and falls of bloody tears marked his cheeks and spilled onto her bare skin.

"Oh Sookie, I'm so sorry... I needed you so much. I've longed for you to feed on me, and when you bit me, I just couldn't control myself... I'm so ashamed. After all you have been through, I've hurt you. I'm sorry, so, so sorry. You must hate me..."

He turned his face away and began to pull his still-rigid penis from her, but she clutched him to her with her legs, pulling him into her as tightly as possible. He was right where he belonged and she didn't want him to go. She couldn't speak yet. She couldn't tell him how much she wanted him, so she pushed herself as close to him as possible, taking in as much of his penis as she could, and rubbed against him like a cat in heat. The feel of his penis within her was comforting. Still trying to catch her breath and shuddering with aftershocks, Sookie kissed the bloody tears from his face. She pulled his mouth to hers, kissed her blood from his lips and rasped, "You didn't hurt me. You _**can't**_ hurt me, Bill. _**I am yours.**_"

"I wanted our first night back together to be special. I wanted to spend this night with you in lovemaking, not...not rape."

Regaining her breath, she responded, "Rape? What the hell are you talking about, Bill?"

"Sookie, I could have killed you. I very nearly did. And on my first night with you back home..."

"Bill, you don't understand. I've wanted you to let go ever since that amazing night in the cemetery when you took me there in the dirt. You've always been so tender, so gentle. But that's not all there is to you. You're a vampire. That's as much a part of you as your humanity. That night I got a glimpse of that part of you, and I wanted it. Oh god, Bill, I know it's not ladylike, but I wanted you to lose control tonight. I wanted my vampire to fuck me, hard, not just make love to me. I want all of you, Bill. The man and the vampire. You'll never be completely satisfied as long as you deny any part of yourself. And neither will I. Do you understand, Bill? I love that part of you, too."

Bill was silent. His eyes locked onto hers with an intensity she had never seen in him. She couldn't read his face and had never been able to hear his thoughts. Sookie was suddenly afraid that the carnality he had awakened in her would repel him. He hated being vampire. He hated what had been done to him against his will and had spent decades learning to control that part of himself. The majority of the time he behaved like the perfect Southern gentleman he was, and Sookie was asking him to be the monster he hated. _God, will he even want me anymore? _It hadn't occurred to her that her desire for the vampire within him might disgust him. His silence seemed to last an eternity, and all at once she was worried she would lose him...

Bill's expression gradually changed to bewildered wonder and love flooded his eyes. "Sookie, you constantly surprise me. I'm never quite sure what to expect from you. I never thought I could be happy again after I was turned. Please, please don't ever leave me, Sookie."


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Bill sat against the bole of the towering oak tree, leaning into the cushions with Sookie on his lap. He was lost in thought and, as he held her in his arms, he stroked her skin absently.

"A penny for your thoughts..."

He smiled. "You just love asking me that, don't you?"

"Oh Bill, you have no idea."

"I was just mulling over tonight. I still can't believe what you did, Sookie."

"Was it OK?"

Bill laughed aloud...the first time Sookie had ever heard him do so, and kissed her hair.

"It was more than OK, Sookie. It was...indescribable."

She leaned into his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Sorry about the gown. It just didn't seem right for what I had in mind..."

Bill stroked her hip, running his hand over the smooth, soft cotton of her petticoat. "Oh, I don't know. I could get used to this, too. Where in the world did you find an authentic petticoat? It feels new."

"There's a woman in Shreveport who makes costumes. She's has a pretty good reputation, I guess. A lot of museums use her for reproductions of antique clothing, and I think she even helped on a couple of movies. It took some digging to find somebody. She was surprised, I think, that all I wanted was a Civil War-era petticoat."

"You must have been planning this for a while, then."

"Well, the petticoat part, yeah. You said you missed them, so I've been looking for a while. When she said it was ready, the timing just seemed to be right."

"How fortunate for me, then." Bill squeezed her gently, bending his cheek to her hair.

Sookie lifted her head to look at Bill, loving the way the moon cast shadows across the planes of his face. "Bill? You're not disgusted with me, are you?"

Bill's eyebrows lifted. "Disgusted? Why in the world would I be disgusted, Sookie?"

"It's just that I know how much you hate being a vampire, and I was afraid that if you knew I liked that part of you, too, you'd think there was something wrong with me. I just want you to know that you can be yourself with me. If you need to lose control, you can. And if you don't, that's OK, too."

He kissed her forehead. "I understand, Sweetheart. I'm not disgusted at all. I am surprised, though."

"Why?"

"Sookie, I'm a monster. You have no idea some of the things I've done over the years. I don't understand how you can love me."

"But you can't help what was done to you, Bill. You didn't have a choice."

"Still, once we get this mess with Eric cleared up, I want to tell you everything, Sookie. I'm tired of the secrets, tired of the lies. So much of our survival depended on deception that over the centuries it became almost instinctive. It's like a reflex. You answer every question with a lie, tell only half-truths, twist every fact...it's a miserable existence. I just want to be rid of it all."

"Have you lied to me?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

Bill cupped her chin in his hand and turned her face to him. "Sookie, I love you. You don't know how shocking that is to me. I didn't think I was still capable of love. That's why I want to get everything out in the open. You mean so much to me. I just want to wait until you're free of Eric. I don't want to jeopardize that with any distractions right now. Can you understand that?"

"Yeah, I guess I can, Bill. I'll do my best to be patient, but you know y'all are going to kill me with curiosity..."

"Well, we can't have that. I promise, Sookie, as soon as you're safe, I'll tell you everything."

"OK."

They sat together in the quiet of the night, each lost in their own thoughts, holding onto each other. Sookie was dismayed by Bill's answer, but she pushed it aside, unwilling to ruin an otherwise perfect night.

"Bill, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

Sookie sat up on his lap and changed her position so that she could face him. "What's going on with you?"

Bill lifted an eyebrow at her question. "What do you mean, Sookie?"

Well, it's just that tonight, when you bit me, it didn't feel the same. I mean, I could feel it, and it hurt, but it didn't hurt anything like it should have. And there's the change in the way you taste. I like it, I just don't know where it's coming from."

He stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers, gently. "I really don't know, Sweetheart. I've noticed some changes, too, but I don't know if they are with me or with you. I can smell you from almost twice as far as I could before. And I want you more than ever...sometimes it's all I can do to control myself."

Sookie blushed and looked down, embarrassed. "Yeah, me too."

Bill leaned close and whispered in her ear. "There have been times, you know, when I've gone to meet you at work...it's all I can do to keep from throwing you onto the bar and taking you right there, in front of everyone..."

"Oh, geeze, Bill..."

"Do I shock you, Sookie?"

"Um, no...but if I had known, I probably would have let you. It's been the same with me lately, too."

Sookie took Bill's face in her hands and softly stroked his skin. She leaned into him slowly, closed her eyes, and kissed him, and Bill responded with all the tenderness he could muster. Sookie pulled away and inhaled deeply, opening her eyes. "I wish you could taste you, Bill. I don't know what it is, but it's incredible. She leaned in again and parted his lips gently with her tongue, running it across his fangs, together and then each in turn. She licked her lips. "And your smell. I can't get enough of your smell..."

Bill smiled. "You're starting to sound like a vampire, Sweetheart."

"Is that possible, Bill?"

"Seriously? Without being turned? I don't think so."

"Well, OK then. I like it."

"Mmm...me too." Bill nuzzled her neck and inhaled. "I can't get enough of your smell, either."

Sookie wrapped her arms around Bill's neck and kissed him again, melting into him. Bill in turn held her close, returning her kiss. Sookie pulled away and nestled her head on his shoulder, speaking into his chest.

"How was your trip? You never said."

"Well, Miss Stackhouse, I've been a bit preoccupied. Still, it was interesting."

"Did you find anything?"

"No, nothing substantial, but I did get a new lead. The archivist was quite an oddity, though. It's been a while since a human has surprised me, not counting you, of course, but he did."

Sookie stroked Bill's skin as she held him. "How?"

"Well, when I first met him, I didn't think I'd found the right person. It was almost comical, Sookie. He talks a mile a minute, and he has the enthusiasm of a child. Frankly, I thought he was a complete lunatic."

"But you changed your mind?"

"I did. Sookie, the man looked at me and knew I was there for someone I loved. He said that my eyes betrayed me."

"They do, you know..."

"I had no idea." Bill paused, then added, "He asked if he could pray for us."

"That's nice of him."

Sookie yawned, and Bill lifted her chin. "Sookie, I'm afraid I've worn you out. You should let me put you to bed. It's getting near dawn, anyway."

"OK...but I want to sleep at your house, Bill. I sleep better when I'm near you."

Bill lifted Sookie in his arms and carried her into the house and upstairs, tucking her into the big bed. She fell asleep almost immediately, and Bill stayed by her side, stroking her hair, until he felt the pull of the sun. He took a spare robe from the armoire and pulled it on, then headed down stairs to his resting place. As he locked himself into the safety of the dark, his mind was full of thoughts of Sookie and the events of the night.

_I could love her forever..._


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Sookie woke late in the afternoon. She lay there in bed for some time thinking over the previous night and her relationship with Bill. She was so happy that he was home, but his confession to her the night before that he had done things that he was ashamed of, and had lied to her about them, made her uneasy. She didn't know quite what to think – he had said that he would tell her everything, but in the meantime she couldn't help but feel hurt that he had been untruthful. Finally, she gave up her musings as being a waste of time. _For all I know, he could be talking about not returning a library book..._

Bill, meanwhile, was also awake, waiting for the sun to set. He had been completely overcome by Sookie's efforts to welcome him home; so much so that his rest was disturbed and he woke well before nightfall. She had actively sought out the vampire part of him for the sole purpose of his satisfaction. It had shocked him to discover that she was not repulsed by the violence of his vampire nature, and his thoughts still were in turmoil. She hadn't just endured it; she had reveled in it. She couldn't have known she would respond that way beforehand. She hadn't considered herself at all; she had thought only of him. He was forced to reconsider everything. Was it possible to accept himself as the human he had been as well as the vampire he now was? That was a question Bill would have to leave for another time. He had more immediate concerns.

Bill could feel Sookie from his resting place beneath the floor. She was awake and he could feel her trying to control her worry and anxiety. Between her headaches and Eric's constant tie to her, she was having more and more difficulty getting through each day. He was determined to find a way to free her from Eric.

Sookie stretched like a cat and got out of bed, heading for the shower. After washing and dressing, she made her way downstairs and stopped at the closet that led to Bill's resting place. She opened the door and entered, closing it carefully behind her. In the darkness of the small space, Sookie knelt on the aged carpet that disguised the trap door in the floor and put both hands on it, palms down. She waited, pushing her thoughts aside to focus on her connection to Bill. She was unsure of what she felt while kneeling there. _It feels like Bill's awake... but it's still daylight._ Sookie couldn't make sense of what she felt. She kept coming to the same conclusion – Bill wasn't asleep as he should have been.

Bill had heard the door to the closet open and Sookie's soft steps. He could feel her attempts to reach him through the blood tie, and he smiled to himself in the darkness. The floor above him creaked slightly as she knelt on it, and he reached up to place his palms against the underside of the trap door, just beneath Sookie's. She was so close...he knew exactly where she was, and could feel her insecurity as she tried to focus on him.

Sookie couldn't be sure, but she thought she felt Bill's awareness reaching out to her. She decided to risk waking him.

"Bill?" she said softly, "Are you awake?"

His muffled voice reached her through the wooden planks of the floor. "Yes, Sweetheart, I am."

Pleased and somewhat excited that she had read the connection to Bill correctly, Sookie spoke to him. "It's still daylight. I'm going to go home and get something to eat. Will I see you later?"

Bill's answer wafted up through the floorboards. "You couldn't keep me away."

Sookie smiled. "OK. See you in a little while, then. Bye..." She got up and carefully felt for the door in the darkness, and Bill could hear her close it behind her.

...

It was just after dusk and Sookie had made herself a hearty supper. She was finishing the dishes when she felt cool, strong arms around her waist.

"Hey Bill."

Bill kissed the top of her head. "You didn't jump this time."

"No, I could feel you coming."

"You're much better at that than before. One more oddity to add to the list."

Sookie turned to him and wrapped her arms around him. "It's nice. I like being able to feel you. It's the next best thing to being with you."

...

Brother Bede was deep in prayer. He had replayed his meeting with the vampire over and over in his mind. He was troubled by what had been done to vampires by believers. He had spent every free moment in prayer for him and the unnamed loved one whose affliction had brought him all the way to Rome. He still didn't understand why, with so many truly learned and saintly people available, God had led Mr. Compton to him, and he felt totally unworthy of the responsibility of standing in the place of Christ for this melancholy man. He probably would never see him again, but only God knew that. _Oh Lord, did I do enough for this man?_ Brother Bede remembered the words of Francis of Assisi, "Go forth and preach the Gospel...and use words if you have to," and he measured his conduct against them.

...

Pam's stilettos made a crisp, clicking sound as she walked into the office and sat across from Eric. The club would open soon, and she had time to relax before she had to start checking IDs at the door.

"So, did you visit Bill's little human?"

Eric didn't bother to look up from his paperwork, and his answer reeked of boredom. "Yes, Pam, I did."

"I still don't understand why you had to bond with her. She's a little more interesting than most humans, but hardly worth your blood."

"I have plans for her."

"Well, I find the whole thing demeaning. You're his sheriff. Just command him to bring her."

"Bill Compton's obsession with her is entirely unreasonable, and he had to be taught a lesson, as well. He's forgotten his place. Bonding to her will remind him."

"Why don't you just turn her? You're clever enough to separate them long enough to do it. As her maker, she would be yours to command. You wouldn't have to play this stupid game with her, and he would be out of the picture completely."

"There's no way of knowing if Sookie would still be capable of telepathy if I turned her, and that's too lucrative an asset to risk. Otherwise, I would have turned her long since. Still, if I could be sure of her mind remaining intact, I would."

...

Taking her hand, Bill led Sookie to the glider on her porch and sat down, drawing her to sit next to him. Sookie pulled her feet up on the cushion and leaned against Bill, and he wrapped his arm around her. They sat together quietly in the fresh night air, Bill propelling the glider in gentle arcs.

Sookie was enjoying her deeper connection to Bill. She was learning, bit by bit, how to interpret what she felt from him. She had meant what she said to him in the kitchen – it was nice. With Bill's presence in the background, she could be alone but not lonely. She hadn't realized just how lonely she had been until she met Bill. She also was realizing that being near him eased her headaches. They weren't gone completely, but when she was with him they were tolerable and at times she could even forget they were there. She was grateful for that. Her headaches were making the rest of her life miserable, and she wasn't looking forward to going back to work the next day and having all those voices pounding in her head, either.

She also was enjoying the physical changes between her and Bill. They each were more aware of the other's smell, and Sookie couldn't get enough of it. She wondered, then, if Bill's odor was this enticing for her, then how much stronger was hers for Bill with his enhanced vampire senses? He had mentioned that he could smell her from nearly twice as far away as he could before. Sookie was having a difficult time controlling herself around him. Every time she got a whiff of him she wanted to jump his dead bones. She admired Bill's strength; he must be a lot more disciplined than she had realized if he could keep from attacking her. Like now. They had been sitting quietly on the glider in each other's company for more than two hours, just being together, and Bill was entirely composed. He was doing a lot better than she was. She had about reached the limit of her endurance.

"Bill?"

"Yes, Sookie?"

"Um, I don't have a bar, but there is a big ol' table in the dining room..."

Sookie yelped in surprise and giggled as she found herself suddenly in Bill's arms and into the house at vampire speed.

...

Tara's shift was over and she was just pulling up to Sookie's place. She hadn't wanted to chance interrupting her and Bill, so she had called Sookie before leaving the bar to see if she was at home or at Bill's place but she had been forwarded to Sookie's voicemail. She looked at the house and could see that the only light in the windows was from the small lamp in the living room. Sookie usually left that one on when she was away so she didn't have to return to a dark house. _She must be at Bill's then..._

As Tara walked up the gravel drive to the house, she heard Sookie scream. She ran to the front door and cautiously tried the knob; it was unlocked. She slipped in noiselessly, hoping to sneak up on Sookie's assailant. She heard rumbling growls and a muffled cry from Sookie. As she peered around the door, she stopped dead in her tracks. It wasn't an animal – it was Bill. _Oh my God..._ Bill was ravaging Sookie on the dining room table, and Sookie sure wasn't fighting back. Tara couldn't believe what she was seeing, much less what she heard. Sookie was pleading with Bill to bite her, and as Tara watched, Bill obliged her and bit into Sookie's soft flesh. As he drove his fangs into her, Sookie spasmed in orgasm, clutching Bill to her tightly, her arms around his neck and her ankles crossed over the small of his back.

Stunned, Tara quietly turned around and slipped from the house.

...

Lafayette opened the door to find Tara on his doorstep. "Hooker – what you doin' here?"

Tara walked into Lafayette's without waiting for permission. "Can I stay here until sun up, Lafayette?"

"What'd you do now, girl? You piss off Sookie and she threw your ass out?" Lafayette closed the door behind her.

"No. I just need to make myself scarce until Bill leaves." Tara fell into the sofa and dropped her purse on the floor beside it.

Lafayette sat down, draping himself over the chair to appear to his best advantage. "Um hmm...I knows you, Tara. Y'all wouldn't be here unless there was somethin' goin' on. You'd just be goin' home."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Well, you're here to talk, cuz, so talk." Tara wouldn't meet Lafayette's eyes, and she was chewing on a nail as he watched. She hadn't bitten her nails in years, since she was a child. It was an old habit that resurfaced now and again when she was stressed. "Maybe I oughtta get y'all some JD first..." Lafayette got up and filled a large tumbler with whiskey, and put it on the table in front of Tara. Then, carefully arranging his robe around himself, he sat down and waited for her to begin.

Tara took a large swallow of whiskey and paused, trying to put words together.

"I got off work and went to Sookie's. I swear, Lafayette, I thought she was at Bill's. All the lights were off like they are when she leaves, just the one on in the living room. I swear, I didn't know..."

"Y'all aren't making a lick of sense, girl. What happened?"

"I walked in on Bill and Sookie..."

Lafayette looked at her, then broke out with a loud guffaw. "Lord, you caught 'em in the act?" He continued laughing until tears rolled down his cheeks. Every time he looked at Tara and saw the expression on her face, he started laughing again.

Tara was not amused.

When he had finally laughed himself out, Tara glared at him. "Y'all done now Lafayette? Cause there wasn't one damned thing funny about what I saw."

"Oh Tara, you just are too much. I can't believe y'all were shocked by some skin, even if it was a bit pale."

"Lafayette, he was growling...I thought there was an animal in the house. She was begging him to bite her, and he did. I don't know what the hell I walked in on, but it sure wasn't sex."

"Hell, girl. Sounds tame compared to some of the parties I been to."

"You sure as hell don't mean that."

"Yeah, I do." Lafayette leaned forward in his chair and addressed her. "Tara, there's all kinds of sex and all kinds of people. What y'all think is strange might be nothin' to somebody else. I know lots of folk who like gettin' bit, and they's not vampires, neither. I even been known to use my teeth a time or two... and that's just regular folk. Y'all're forgettin' that Sookie's not with a human. So Bill growls, huh? I knew a fella once who sang motherfuckin' _opera_ during sex. And if that ain't some strange shit, I ain't ever seen it. "


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Bill walked into Merlotte's to meet Sookie and accompany her home at the end of her shift. It was early and the bar was pretty busy, but Sookie had been having a rough day and he could feel her distress. They didn't know why, but for some reason Sookie's headaches eased in his presence, so he arrived a few hours before she finished for the night. He didn't generally visit the bar for anything other than a brief stay; it was too uncomfortable – but he knew she needed him. He was acutely aware of the change in atmosphere as he walked in; eyes fixed themselves on him, the tone of the conversation changed, people began to whisper. He still was not used to the scrutiny his presence engendered. He had been a private man during life, and as a vampire he had existed in secrecy and anonymity by necessity. Thus, he was unused to such attention and it was still unsettling. He wondered if there would ever be a time when the sight of a vampire would be commonplace and unworthy of notice.

...

Sookie was in the restroom rinsing her mouth at the sink. The noise had been unrelenting, her head was just pounding, and she was nearly in tears. She had started the day feeling pretty good, but as the hours passed her headache steadily worsened until she had hurriedly excused herself and rushed into the restroom to vomit. She'd never had a headache this bad before. In fact, until Dallas, she couldn't remember even having a cold. She'd tried the pills the ER doctor had prescribed for her after the bombing, but they were worse than useless. They did nothing for her pain at all. The only effect they had was to make her blood taste bad, so she had quit taking them. Earlier, as her headache worsened, Sam had told her to go home, but she refused. She just hated feeling helpless and she was determined to stick it out until the end of her shift.

As Sookie wiped her face with a damp paper towel, suddenly her headache eased. It didn't go away completely, but it was much better. It felt like someone had flipped a switch, so sudden was the change. As she silently thanked God for the relief, she became aware of Bill's presence nearby. _Bill's here...that's why the pain let up..._ Pulling herself together, she smoothed her hair, checked her appearance in the mirror, and exited the restroom to greet her boyfriend and return to work.

...

"Howdy Bill. You're early tonight. O-neg?" Sam removed a half-empty mug from the bar and wiped down the polished wood with a bar towel.

"Hello Sam. Yes, please." Bill sat at the end of the bar while Sam heated the bottle. "I hear from Sookie that I owe you one for her time off."

Sam pulled the bottle of synthetic blood from the microwave, wiped it down, and set a paper coaster down before placing the warmed TruBlood in front of Bill. He tossed the bar towel over his shoulder.

"Hell, Bill. Y'all don't owe me. Sookie's family, and I'd do anything for her. It made her happy, that's all."

"Still, I appreciate it."

"Well whatever you two did while she was off, it did her a world of good. She was nearly her old self when she came in today." Sam leaned on the bar with one hand, the other on his hip. "It's a shame it didn't last."

"That's why I came in early."

"Huh. Y'all can feel her all the way from home?"

"The connection isn't limited by distance. That's the problem with Eric. For Sookie, it's like he's right over her shoulder, spying on her constantly."

"Any luck there at all?"

"No. I need to find a healer, but they tend to be rather secretive. Ironically, I'm going to have to visit Eric. As sheriff, he'll know how to contact one." Bill turned the bottle of blood in his hands.

"How're you going to manage that? Won't he know that y'all are trying to get him out of her head?"

"Well, Sookie's headaches may be to our advantage. They'll give me an excuse to contact a healer. She can't control her gift while she's in such pain, and that should encourage Northman to cooperate and allay his suspicions. He wants her ability intact; she's of no use to him without it."

"You gonna tell Sookie?"

"No. I'm just going to tell her the healer is for her headaches. What she doesn't know, Eric can't pry from her. It's safer for her that way."

Sookie came out to the front of the house with a smile on her face and walked directly to Bill, her gait quick and her step light. Bill rose from the barstool and planted a kiss on her forehead as she reached him and hugged him close. They ignored the stares of the diners as they greeted each other. "Hi Bill."

Sam snapped the towel at Sookie and chided her. "Orders are up and customers are waiting, Sookie. I ain't paying you to romance Bill." Although his tone was stern, he grinned as he spoke.

"Gotcha Sam." She picked up her tray and went back to work.

...

Josh was still sitting in his truck in the parking lot. He'd seen the vampire go into Sam's bar earlier; that complicated matters. He wasn't sure he would be able to do this, but he'd made up his mind. Gathering his courage, he climbed out of his pickup and walked through the front door.

Bill was sitting at the bar nursing his bottle of blood as Josh walked in. Sam had gone back to the walk-in, and Bill was alone at the bar. Sitting sideways to get a better view, he was admiring Sookie as she and Arlene moved quickly from table to table, delivering orders and tending to the customers. Josh hesitated at the door, then took a deep breath and approached Sookie as she headed back to the bar for another pitcher of beer.

Bill watched Anders with suspicion and his eyes darkened. He still was angry over the injury he'd caused Sookie, but he held his temper and waited. She didn't need any more problems tonight.

"Miz Sookie?"

Sookie turned as she heard her name. "Hey Josh. Debra let you out tonight?"

Standing with his hands in his pockets, he addressed her. "Um, Miz Sookie, I jus' wanted to apologize for the other night. I didn't mean to hurt y'all."

Sookie smiled and patted his arm. "No problem, Josh. I know y'all didn't mean it. Can I get you a beer tonight?"

Josh looked at the floor, too embarrassed to look Sookie in the eye. "No, I think I better stick to sweet tea tonight. Debra said she'd knock me up side the head if I came home drunk again. Y'all know what a temper she has."

"Sure thing, Josh. Be right back with your tea." Sookie headed toward the back to get his order.

Bill waited silently, a firm hold on his anger, as Anders stood there. He could see the man's nervousness.

Taking a deep breath, Josh walked to the bar and climbed on the barstool next to Bill. Flushed with embarrassment and unable to look Bill in the eye, Josh addressed him. "Mr. Compton, I...I'm sorry 'bout Sookie. She's always been a good girl, and she's been puttin' up with me for a long time. I didn't mean to hurt her none, and I appreciate y'all not hurting me, neither."

Bill looked at Anders, considering what would make this easier on Sookie. She would want him to accept the man's apology and forget the whole matter.

"Apology accepted, Mr. Anders." Bill paused, then added, "This time." Anders nodded his understanding.

Sookie returned with Josh's tea, then left to pick up an order. Josh watched her go.

"Mr. Compton, y'all sure are lucky to have a gal like Miz Sookie. She ain't never been nothin' but nice to me. Not like my Debra. I love that woman to pieces, but she's got a temper that would scare a bear."

In spite of himself, the corner of Bill's mouth lifted in a smile. He'd been on the receiving end of Sookie's temper more than once, and she could hold her own against a bear herself when she had a mind to.

...

Bill pulled up to Sookie's house and turned off the engine. He turned to the passenger seat and lightly stroked her hair. "Sookie, I'm not going to be able to stay tonight. I have to see Eric."

"Eric? Why?"

"I need to find a healer for your headaches, and I haven't been able to locate anyone. As sheriff, Eric can tell me how to contact one and give me an introduction. A healer won't see me without one."

"I hate asking him for anything. He's so...so arrogant."

"That he is. But you're not getting any better, and I can't stand to see you in pain. If I get back early enough, I'll come by."

Sookie nodded her head in acceptance. "I'll miss you. I'm gettin' spoiled being with you every night."

Bill kissed her softly and, before she even saw him get out, he was at her car door and opening it for her. Bill escorted Sookie to her front door, waiting until she was safely inside before leaving. Getting back into his vehicle, he started the car and pulled away from the house, heading toward Shreveport.

...

Fangtasia, as usual, was packed with fangbangers, lookie-loos, and wannabes. There was a line waiting to get in and Pam was checking IDs at the door. Bill walked past the line directly to Pam.

"Well, Bill. I didn't think I'd see you here so soon. Getting tired of your human?"

"Pam." Bill returned her sarcasm with feigned politeness. "Sookie's fine, thank you for asking. I need to see Eric."

"He's in his office. You can go on back."

Bill walked through the crowded bar back to Eric's office and knocked. He heard Eric's voice inviting him in.

"Come."

Bill entered the office and closed the door behind him. He sat down without invitation in the chair facing Eric.

"Bill. What brings you here?' Eric wore his usual smug smile.

Bill was blunt and to the point. He didn't want to spend any more time with Eric than absolutely necessary to get the information he needed. "I need an introduction to a healer."

Eric leaned back in his chair. "And why would you need a healer?"

"It's not for me. It's for Sookie."

"Now Bill, you wouldn't be trying to rid her of her connection to me, would you?"

Bill paused to control his disgust. "Do you really not know what's happening to her, or is it that you just don't care?"

He was perversely satisfied to see the look of puzzlement on Eric's face. "What do you mean?"

"Sookie's not well. She's been in constant pain since the bombing in Dallas."

Eric dismissed Bill's concern with a wave of his hand. "Human maladies. They're prone to all types of illnesses. I was aware of it, but it's of no concern." He returned to his work.

"You should be concerned. It's affecting her telepathy."

That caught Eric's attention, and he looked up and pushed his paperwork aside. "How so?"

"She can't control her ability because of the pain. Either everything comes at her at once, or it doesn't come at all. She's exhausted, and she won't be able to take much more of this without permanent damage."

"I thought Godric sent all the humans to the emergency room to be examined after the bombing. Didn't she go?"

"She did. They found nothing. They gave her medicine for the pain, but it doesn't work."

Eric tore a piece from one of the invoices on his desk, scribbled something on it, and handed it to Bill. "This is Dr. Ludwig's address. She's expensive, but she's the best. I should warn you – she doesn't care much for vampires, but she tolerates us. I'll call her and let her know you're coming."

Bill looked down at the paper, then nodded to Eric and left the office. Eric was on the phone before the door had closed.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Bill arrived at the neat, unremarkable house and knocked on the door. The porch light illuminated a bougainvillea cascading across the roof and over the porch in a fall of magenta flowers. The door opened and he found himself in the presence of a dwarf woman in a bright red terry cloth robe and bunny slippers. Her salt-and-pepper hair was in disarray, and her wire-rimmed glasses sat on top of her head. She greeted Bill with a grumpy expression and profanity.

"You must be the damned vampire I was told to expect. Come on in."

Bill followed her into the house and closed the door behind him while the woman mumbled under her breath about "damned vampires" interrupting her sleep. She led the way into the study and sat in a recliner that seemed to have been made just for her; it was small and she didn't have to struggle to get into it. Putting her feet up, she waved a hand at an armchair opposite her and told Bill to sit. Sitting, he waited silently while the healer studied him. Apparently passing her scrutiny, she spoke.

"You're Bill Compton?"

"Yes."

"I'm Dr. Ludwig. If you're looking for some kind of medical office, you won't find one. I do my consultations here where I'm comfortable. Since you're keeping me from getting a decent night's sleep, let's get on with it so I can get back to bed."

Bill kept his responses short and to the point. He didn't know if she was crabby from lack of sleep or just naturally ill-natured. Either way, he couldn't afford to alienate her; she might be Sookie's only chance. "Sookie, my human, is ill."

Dr. Ludwig responded with a snort. "So send her to a doctor."

"She's been to regular human doctors. They can't find anything wrong with her."

Dr. Ludwig paused and considered the vampire before her. "Why did you come to me?"

"Eric Northman is my sheriff. I went to him for the name of a healer, and he gave me yours."

"So, your friend sent you to me."

The muscles in Bill's jaw tensed and he couldn't keep the anger off his face. "He's no friend of mine."

The doctor's eyes sparkled as her interest piqued. "What are her symptoms?"

"Are you familiar with the suicide bombing in that took place in Dallas?" Bill paused and the healer nodded in affirmation. "Sookie was there. She was caught in the explosion. She's been having headaches ever since, and they're getting worse day by day. She can't tolerate much more of this."

"She's been checked for all the usual nonsense, I suppose; concussion, skull fracture, intracranial bleeding, inner ear damage..."

"Yes. She had CT and X-rays in the emergency room immediately afterward and they examined her thoroughly. There was nothing."

"Pain medication?"

"They prescribed a couple of things, but they don't work."

Dr. Ludwig sat quietly, mulling over what Bill had told her. She was intrigued by the obvious concern this vampire exhibited for his human. Apparently, she wasn't just a source of blood for his hunger. There was more going on here than she first thought when she received the call from his sheriff, and it merited further attention. Her reverie was interrupted when the vampire spoke.

"Dr. Ludwig, there's something else you need to know. Sookie's telepathic. She's always had some difficulty shutting out the thoughts of others, but since Dallas it's become nearly impossible. She's bombarded by the noise of unspoken voices constantly, and it makes her headaches even worse."

The healer pondered the new information. Perhaps his concern was merely for her value as a telepath. "Anything make it better?

"Yes, one thing – when I'm with her, her headache eases somewhat. We don't know why or how. Perhaps it's because she can't hear the thoughts of vampires, but the presence of other vampires doesn't have the same effect. Can you help her?"

"I don't know. I'll have to run some tests." The healer focused her eyes on Bill, and he felt as if she were examining him as she would an interesting lab specimen.

"Is that everything, Mr. Compton?"

Ignoring the risk, Bill leaned forward in his chair and asked the question that had brought him to the healer. "Do you know how to break a blood bond between a vampire and a human?"

"Why?" She found his question unexpected. She had never known a vampire who actually wanted a blood bond broken.

"Eric tricked Sookie into taking his blood after the bombing. She can't bear it. She's been violated, and it's more than she can handle."

"You realize that if his bond is broken, all bonds are broken...including yours."

"I assumed as much. I don't care. All I care about is Sookie."

Dr. Ludwig sat quietly, and Bill was forced to wait while she thought. It felt like time had stopped and he wasn't sure he could stand it. There was no way of telling what this small woman would do. She could betray him to Eric. She could refuse to help. Perhaps there was no way to break the bond. A thousand thoughts and twice that number of worries ran through his mind as he waited.

"I'm expensive."

"Eric told me. Anything I have is yours if you can help her."

The expression of disgust that flashed over Bill's face when he spoke the name of his sheriff hadn't escaped Dr. Ludwig, and she addressed it. "You don't like the sheriff much, do you?"

Again, Bill struggled to control himself. "I do not."

She paused and considered his behavior. This vampire was different from the others she had met. His concern for his human appeared genuine. Abruptly, she came to a decision. "Good. I can't stand the son of a bitch myself. I always charge him double. Triple, if he pisses me off more than usual."

Bill would have breathed a sigh of relief if he still breathed. "Can you break such a bond?"

"Oh hell yes. Nothing to it."

Bill sat back in the chair in shock.

"Close your mouth, vampire. It's not breaking the bond that's hard. It's keeping the patient alive afterward."

"What do you mean?"

"The damned blood is the problem, so you have to get rid of it – drain it. The trick is to replace it before brain or tissue damage sets in. "

"How dangerous is it?"

"It's dicey, but doable."

"I haven't told Sookie I'm here about breaking Eric's hold on her. All she knows is that I'm contacting a healer to help with her headaches. I don't know how much he senses from her, and I didn't want to put her in jeopardy."

"Well, you'll have to tell her why I'm coming before I see her. Meanwhile, I'll be by tomorrow night to examine her and take some samples, and we'll see what we can do about her headaches. We can discuss the details of breaking the blood bond then. I won't risk it on anybody unless they know what they're getting into. "

Bill rose as the healer got to her feet. "Thank you, doctor."

"Don't thank me yet, vampire. Just get the hell out of here so I can get some sleep."

...

Tara was dozing in front of the TV when she heard a knock on the door. Shaking off sleep, she got up and answered it; it was Bill.

"Hey Bill." Fighting back a yawn, she stepped back to let him in.

"Tara. Did I wake you?"

"I was just napping."

"Where's Sookie?"

"She's upstairs, asleep. Y'all want me to get her?"

Bill shook his head. "No. I need to speak with her alone. I'll go up."

"Suit yourself...you know the way."

...

Bill opened the door to Sookie's room quietly and closed it behind him. Sookie was asleep. Kneeling in the dark next to her bed, he took a moment to watch her. He loved watching Sookie sleep. Her face looked so peaceful, so serene, that he hated to disturb her. Bill gently brushed the hair from her face and whispered her name. Sookie stirred and her eyes opened.

"Bill..." Sookie reached for him. "I didn't think I'd see you until tomorrow."

"I finished sooner than expected. Sookie, I need to talk to you."

Sookie sat up in bed and scooted back to lean against the headboard. She reached over and turned on the small lamp on her night stand, and Bill sat on her bed facing her.

"Is anything wrong, Bill?"

"Eric gave me the name of a healer, Sookie."

"He actually gave you a name? Somehow I didn't think he would."

"Well, he cooperated once I told him that your headaches were affecting your ability to hear thoughts. Before that, he wasn't much help."

Sookie snorted in disgust. "It figures. When will you see the healer?"

"I already have. Her name is Dr. Ludwig. She'll be here tomorrow night to examine you and see if she can help you with your headaches."

"Thank God, Bill. I'm so sick of hurting all the time."

"Sookie, that's not the only reason she is coming."

Sookie looked at him with puzzlement on her face. "It's not?"

"I asked her if she could break the bond between you and Eric."

"Why didn't you tell me, Bill?"

Bill took her hand. He knew she was upset that he hadn't told her the real reason for seeking out a healer. "I was trying to protect you, Sookie."

Sookie rolled her eyes in exasperation. She was already worried and wondering about the lies Bill had told her, and now he was keeping something else from her. "Bill..."

Bill interrupted her. "It wasn't because of you, Sweetheart. I didn't tell you because I don't trust Eric."

She knotted her brows in confusion. "I don't understand..."

"Sookie, over the past few weeks our connection to each other has become much stronger. I don't know why. I don't know if that's true of your connection to Eric, too. If you knew, there was a chance that he would be able to pick it up from you. I couldn't take the chance that he would know we were trying to sever his connection to you."

"Well, that's sensible, I guess. But just I hate secrets between us."

"I know. But it wasn't exactly a secret. I told Sam."

"You didn't tell me, but you told Sam? I don't know if I can get used to you two not fighting with each other."

Bill smiled, and leaned over to kiss her. "I don't know if I can, either."

"So, what do I have to do, Bill?"

"Just be at my house by dark. You might want to bring somebody else with you. If Eric does realize what we're trying to do, he may show up. I don't want you to be alone if I have to deal with him."

"OK. Do you have time to stay a while?"

"No. It's nearly dawn"

Sookie reached for him to kiss him goodbye. "I'll see you tomorrow night, then, Bill."


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Bill was awake and impatiently waiting for the sun to set. He was concerned for Sookie. He could feel that she'd had a particularly bad day, so much so that Bill woke before sunset and was frustrated that he couldn't go to her until dark. At least she was here, in his home. He had felt her arrival a few hours before. She was earlier than expected and Bill surmised that she hadn't been able to finish her workday at the bar, something that had never happened before.

As soon as it was possible, Bill left his resting place and went to Sookie. Still in her uniform, she was lying on the sofa resting and she didn't look well at all. Her color wasn't right; she was pale, and there was a slightly grayish undertone to her skin. Bill knelt beside her and gently stroked her cheek; she was feverish, as well. "Sookie, it's me."

Sookie reluctantly opened her eyes and when she spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper. "Hey Bill..."

"Can I get you anything before Dr. Ludwig arrives, Sweetheart?" Bill stroked her hair.

"I'm so hot, Bill. Would you get me something cold to drink?"

Bill nodded and went to the kitchen. He had begun to keep it supplied with food and drink for Sookie, and he was glad he had it at hand. He didn't want to leave her. Bill returned in a few minutes with a glass of cold lemonade. Placing it on the coffee table, he helped her to sit up and sat beside her while she sipped at the glass. When she had finished, Bill took the glass from her and replaced it on the table. He drew her to him, and she leaned against him with his arm around her.

"You're arm is cool, Bill. It feels good."

Bill smiled and teased her. "I guess being dead has it's uses."

Bill sat with her quietly, and Sookie took comfort from his closeness. Being near him gave her the only relief she'd had all day. Work had been grueling. She'd had nonstop noise in her head, and this was her first break in hours. She was grateful for it, and hoped the healer Bill had found could help her.

When the knock came at the door, Bill left Sookie to rest on the sofa while he answered it. Sam and Tara stood on the porch and he stepped aside to let them cross the threshold. "Sam, Tara. Come in."

As they stepped into the foyer, Sam asked, "How's she doin', Bill?"

Bill shook his head and replied. "Not well, Sam. Was work as bad for her today as I felt it was?"

"Yeah, it was pretty bad. I sent her home early and she didn't even argue with me."

Tara interrupted. "You think this doctor or whatever will be able to help Sookie?"

"I don't know, Tara, but I guess we'll see." Sam and Tara went to join Sookie in the living room and, as Bill was about to close the door, he saw the healer's car coming up the drive. She got out, pulled a medical bag from the back seat and walked toward the house. Bill greeted her as she climbed the steps.

"Dr. Ludwig. Please come in."

Dr. Ludwig wasted no time. In a brusk manner, she addressed Bill. "Well, I'm here, vampire. Where's the patient?"

Bill directed her to the living room and closed the front door before following her. As the doctor looked over the three people in the room, her eyes stopped on Sookie, and she spoke to her directly.

"Well, it's not too hard to see who the patient is. You look like hell."

If Sookie had felt better, she might have responded with a few pert remarks of her own, but she felt so bad that she couldn't muster the energy. The healer looked over the others in the room and addressed Sam and Tara. "And you are...?"

Irritated, Tara replied. "Moral support." Sam put an arm on her shoulder. He didn't think Tara would take a swing at the small woman, but he wasn't entirely sure, either.

Bill came into the room. "Forgive me, Dr. Ludwig. This is my human, Sookie Stackhouse, and our friends, Tara Thornton and Sam Merlotte." If Bill had any doubts about how bad Sookie felt, he would have been disabused of them by Sookie's lack of reaction to being referred to as Bill's "human." She hated the term, and had she been feeling better, Bill would have been subjected to her temper.

"Um hmm." Dr. Ludwig put her bag on the coffee table and approached Sookie. She took Sookie's hand and placed two fingers over the artery to check her pulse, looking at her watch while she spoke. "So. You got caught in an explosion and you're having headaches. And you're a telepath who can't keep the noise out of her head. Any other symptoms? Anything new or different than it was before you got in the way of some damned idiot with a death wish?"

Sookie turned to Bill, and he answered. "We've both noticed changes. Our connection through the blood is stronger. Sookie and I can feel each other better, almost as if she were vampire. And her odor is stronger. I can smell her from much, much farther away."

Dr. Ludwig looked up at Sookie and studied her eyes, pulling down her lower lids and examining the tissue carefully with a small, bright light, then turned to the upper lids. "Do you speak?"

As the doctor poked and prodded her, Sookie answered. "Yes." Those in the room who knew her could hear the fatigue in her voice.

"Then speak up." She touched the back of her hand to her Sookie's forehead. "How long have you had the fever?"

"Just today. It's the first time."

Any other changes?" She began to examine Sookie's ears.

"Bill. He tastes different to me. Stronger, more like himself, if that makes any sense, but really good. And I can't get enough of his smell. He smells wonderful."

Finishing the examination of Sookie's ears, she then turned to examine her mouth and throat. "Anything else?"

Sookie looked at Bill, then closed her eyes, blushing strongly. Attempting to alleviate her embarrassment in front of her friends, Bill sat beside her, put his arm around her shoulder, and answered for them both.

"Our attraction...sexual attraction...for each other is stronger as well."

"How much stronger?"

Dr. Ludwig finished with her oral examination, and Sookie answered. "We can't keep our hands off each other. Every time I get a whiff of him, I...I can't think of anything else. Bill's better at controlling himself than I am, but it's tough for both of us."

Dr. Ludwig sat on the table facing Sookie, pulled a small notebook from the pocket of her scrubs, and began writing. "Multiple orgasms?"

Sookie's blush deepened. "Yes." Tara's eye's widened as she looked at Sam, who placed his hand on her shoulder to remind her to be quiet.

"Mr. Compton said that being in his physical presence eases your headaches. It that true?" She continued making entries in the notebook and didn't look at Sookie.

"Yes."

"How much?"

"When we're together, like in the same room, the pain is better. And if I'm with people when Bill touches me, the noise in my head is controllable." Sam and Tara looked at each other – neither had known this. It explained the look of relief they had seen on Sookie's face each time she greeted Bill at the bar.

"Does sexual intercourse affect the pain as well?"

Sookie answered with self-conscious reluctance. "I don't know. I don't know if it goes away, or if I'm just so preoccupied with Bill that I don't notice it."

"Um hmm..." Dr. Ludwig pulled a stethoscope from her bag and listened to Sookie's heart and lungs, then replaced it and pulled out some other items from her bag. She paused.

"Let's talk about the blood bond. I understand you want to be rid of the Viking's connection, is that right?"

In spite of her pain and fatigue, Sookie still had the energy to be angry at Eric. "Yes. I hate what he did to me. I want him out of my head. I can't stand him knowing my every move."

"You understand that if we break this bond, your bond to Mr. Compton will also be severed?"

"But I can get it back, right? If I take Bill's blood again afterward?" Tara started to interrupt, but again Sam cautioned her with a touch.

"If that's what you want."

Bill spoke. "Sookie, you were bonded to me only as a consequence of saving your life. You don't have to do this. You can be free."

"But that's my decision, right Bill?" Bill nodded silently.

"So, when can we do it?"

Dr. Ludwig cautioned her. "Hold on. You need to know the dangers before we even consider it."

This time Tara wouldn't be silenced. "Sookie, y'all have to know all the facts first. Don't be jumping in blind."

The healer harumphed. "Listen to her. She seems to have some sense."

Squeezing Bill's hand, Sookie took a deep breath. "OK. So tell me."

"To break the blood bond, we have to drain your blood. All of it. It'll require the assistance of a human doctor as well. Fortunately, I know someone qualified who has the facilities and expertise we need. And more importantly, he can keep his damned mouth shut. The hard part is replacing your blood. We have to be sure that all of the blood in your body has been drained, and that's tricky. If we leave any behind, nothing will change and the connection will remain. Blood replacement has to take place quickly enough that you don't suffer tissue or brain damage, but not so quickly that we miss any of the old blood. Then there are the complications."

"What complications?" Tara spoke out, while Sam tried uselessly to hush her. "No, Sam. I need to know." She turned back to the healer. "What kind of complications are we talking about?"

Dr. Ludwig responded. "There are all the usual complications that come with any transfusion. Rejection reaction. Clotting disorders. She could throw an embolus – that's a clot – or bleed out; either of which can cause a stroke and resultant brain damage. We can use synthetic blood, but not entirely. We have to use some organic blood, and that brings risks of blood-borne diseases like HIV, hepatitis or other viruses, or bacterial or parasitic infection. If she gets DIC her blood will clot, then break down, and she'll begin to bleed from every orifice and needle puncture. To fix that, she'll have to have fresh frozen plasma – and that brings all the same exposures as organic blood and the cycle can start all over again. Her kidneys could shut down. Heart attack happens when the heart is empty of blood. Sometimes it will restart spontaneously, sometimes not. She might need cardioversion with paddles to restart the heart, and if it doesn't work from the outside, we might have to crack her open like a Thanksgiving turkey and try to restart the heart from inside the chest. We'll pack her in ice and cooling blankets to try to forestall brain damage, but then we have to warm the blood going in to prevent prolonged hypothermia. She'll have to be watched closely for several days afterward."

"The whole business is a mess. Breaking a blood bond isn't to be entered into lightly. It's damned dangerous, and most people prefer to put up with the connection rather than risk it. In some cases when the reperfusion has too many complications, the only option is to turn the patient at the last minute. They're still dead, but they can continue their existence as a vampire. Most don't want that, though. And that's assuming that the turning even works; it rarely does."

There was not one person in the room who was not stunned by what Dr. Ludwig had said, and they sat in silence for several minutes.

Sookie spoke up. "How long do I have to decide?"

"You can decide any time. There's no deadline." Dr. Ludwig grimaced at the unintended pun. "Meanwhile, let me take some samples from you. I need the same ones to prepare for breaking the blood bond as I do to diagnose and treat your headaches, so we can get them all out of the way now. Then, if you decide later that you want the procedure, you won't have to go through it all again."

As Bill sat beside Sookie, he became aware of the presence of a vampire on the grounds. His head snapped to the door, and he got up.

"Bill...?"

"Stay here, Sookie. Sam, take care of her..." Bill was suddenly gone, and Sam got up to stand next to Sookie. Tara ran to one of the sidelights next to the front doors and peered outside.

"Shit! It's that damned Northman..."

Sookie began to get up but Sam stopped her, pushing her back down on the sofa. Dr. Ludwig snapped at her. "I'm not finished, Ms. Stackhouse."

Frightened for Bill, Sookie began to protest. "But Eric's older and stronger than Bill. He'll kill him..."

"Leave the vampires to their business. There's nothing you can do about it, anyway. They're damned fools, the lot of them, and if you'd had any sense you would've stayed away from them in the first place...Now let me finish." She continued to prepare Sookie's arm to take blood from her.

...

Bill closed the door behind him and glared at Eric, who stood in the yard.

"Bill...how nice of you to greet me. How's Sookie?"

"What do you want, Eric?"

Eric looked over at the cars lining the drive. "I see Dr. Ludwig has arrived." He eyed Bill with a tilt of his head. "I know you're trying to break her bond to me."

"You learned that from Sookie." Bill's anger rose, and his fangs extended involuntarily.

"As a matter of fact, I did. It was quite clear. Her response to a blood bond is quite unusual. It's almost like I could read her mind. She's genuinely fond of you, Bill...but then, there's no accounting for taste."

"Leave Sookie alone. You've caused her enough misery."

"I have need of her and her abilities. I intend to make good use of them, and there's not a thing you can do to prevent it." Eric's face showed the beginnings of the smug smile that so infuriated Bill, and it marked the end of the strained civility between them.

Bill seethed. All the weeks he had spent controlling his anger on his human's behalf had finally reached their limit. It was as if every episode of hatred for Eric and his violation of Sookie had been hoarded just for this moment, and they erupted all at once. Coupled with the danger Eric's blood bond had exposed Sookie to, and the concomitant danger Dr. Ludwig had described to break it, Bill was overcome by his fury. He launched himself at Eric in a sudden, blinding rage, unable to control himself. He knew that Eric was more than a match for him, but even so, he couldn't stop. The rational part of his mind ceased to function and a kind of madness took over. His attack was so sudden that Eric was taken by surprise.

Even allowing for his unreadiness, Eric was more than a match for Bill. Five times his age and that much stronger, Eric's response to his assault was vicious, and even in his madness Bill knew he probably would not survive. But it didn't matter. He was avenging Sookie and all the wrong Eric had inflicted on her with his deception.

Eric had been brutal in his human life, and over the centuries that brutality had been perfected to deadly effect.

Bill was no rival for either Eric's strength or his cunning. Overmatched, he only hoped he could give good enough account of himself to allow Dr. Ludwig to finish her work without interruption. He could not protect Sookie from the likes of Eric, but he was determined to give the healer the time she needed to help her. Losing consciousness as Eric was beating him to death, Bill made one last effort to defend himself. The only part of Eric within reach was his wrist, and with the last of his strength Bill made made one more try and bit down.

Eric screamed in pain and released him. Bill crawled away, waiting for his vision to clear and hoping he had bought enough time for Sookie. He did not expect Eric's reaction to his pitiful attempt at self-defense, and he fully expected the attack to begin again in earnest. When it didn't, Bill realized that Eric was still screaming in pain. He turned to look, and Eric was on the ground, writhing, the wound on his wrist still open. He wasn't healing. Bill stood up and staggered over to Eric.

Tears of blood flowed down Eric's face. Bill had never seen a vampire in such pain short of staking, and he couldn't understand it. Eric, gasping, could utter only a few words, and he directed those to Bill.

_**"What did you do to me?"**_

Bill had no answer, but he wasn't about to surrender this unexpected advantage.

"You will leave Sookie alone from now on, Eric. I won't warn you again." Continuing his bluff, Bill struggled up the steps to his home and went back inside to Sookie.

...

As Bill entered the foyer his knees buckled and Tara quickly helped him stand. Sookie leapt up from the sofa and ran to him, her eyes filling with tears as she saw the blood covering his clothing and his slowly healing wounds, and she held him to her. Bill winced when she hugged him, but he was so thankful to be with her. He still couldn't believe he had survived at all.

"Dr. Ludwig..."

"Yes, Mr. Compton?"

"I think Eric needs your help..."

Tara spoke up. "Why would you help that fucker after the beating he gave you? And the trouble he's caused Sookie?"

Bill didn't answer. Sookie helped him to the sofa as Dr. Ludwig went outside to examine the Viking.

Sam grabbed a towel from the kitchen and handed it to Sookie, who carefully began wiping the blood from Bill. Then he sat on the table and stared at him.

"What happened, Bill? I didn't think y'all could take the likes of Eric."

"I don't know, Sam. I honestly don't know. I should be a puddle of blood in my own yard by now. I couldn't defeat him. I didn't defeat him. I don't understand ..."

Sookie finished cleaning the blood from Bill's face and held him close. She had been terrified when Bill left to confront Eric. He shouldn't be sitting here, but he was, and she was more grateful that she could imagine.

Dr. Ludwig came in and closed the door. "Well Mr. Compton, I never thought I'd see anyone take on that damned vampire and win. I sent him home. He'll survive, but he's going to be in a hell of a lot of pain for a while. She paused, then addressed Bill. "It did me a world of good to see that smug son of a bitch finally get what was coming to him. You have my services for free as long as I'm alive." She smiled, and it was oddly disturbing.

Bill shook his head. "I don't understand, doctor. I don't know what I did."

She shoved Sam to get him to move from the table, and then took his place sitting in front of Bill. "Well, let's take a look." Dr. Ludwig examined Bill nearly as thoroughly as she had Sookie. When she got to the oral exam, she gave him the command familiar to anyone who had ever seen a doctor. "Open wide, Mr. Compton." Bill obliged her, and when she had finished she clicked off her small flashlight, sat back on the table, and exclaimed, "Well I'll be damned."

Sookie spoke out in her agitation. "What? What did you find? Is Bill OK?"

Dr. Ludwig looked Bill in the eye and said, "Well, I know how you were able to beat him, Mr. Compton."

Bill looked at her. "How?"

"Venom."

A stunned silence filled the room, and then everyone began speaking at once.

Bill was floored. "Excuse me?"

Tara's reaction was similar. "Oh my God..."

"Geeze." Sam ran his hands through his hair.

Only Sookie was silent.

Bill had trouble getting the words out. "Vampires don't have venom..."

"Well, you do."

"But that's not possible!"

"It's rare, but it's not entirely unheard of. I can't recall when the last occurrence was. Centuries, most likely. After all, vampire fangs are similar to viper fangs. There's a channel down the center for venom, even though there usually is none. It's just one of those useless anatomical features that hangs on after it's no longer needed. Kind of like a human appendix."

"But what about Sookie? Is she in danger?"

"I doubt it. If she was, it would have been evident by now."

"Bill..." Sookie interrupted and he turned to her. "That's what I saw that night on my finger. That's what I tasted. That's why you taste so good."

Bill stared at her.

"Remember? The night before you left for Rome? I told you. It smelled like you, and it tasted like you. That's what it was. You couldn't smell it, remember? It must have been venom."

Bill couldn't marshal his thoughts. He was confused. He'd never heard of such a thing. But Sookie...

"What about Sookie, Dr. Ludwig? What about her headaches? Can you help her?"

"Whatever is causing her headaches has nothing to do with what happened in Dallas."

Sookie protested. "But the explosion..."

"Coincidence. I'm not sure what's causing the pain, but whatever it is, it's affecting both of you. As soon as I have something more to tell you, I'll let you know." She got up, packed up her medical bag, and prepared to leave.

"Wait..." Tara stopped the healer. She was still worried about Bill and Sookie exchanging blood. "What about blood? What about them feeding off each other?"

Sookie reddened in embarrassment. "Tara..."

"I don't see a problem. Like I said, if there was any danger to either of them, it would have shown up long before now. I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out to be part of the reason for their increased sexual attraction to each other, though I won't know for certain until I finish testing."

Dr. Ludwig turned to Bill and Sookie. "Good night. It's been interesting."

And with that, she left.


	32. Chapter 32

Just a note: I want to say thanks to everybody for your reviews and input. I appreciate it so much. Also, there has been some questions about the use of "y'all." I'm not a southerner myself, but the usage varies by region. Some folks use "y'all" as plural meaning "you all," and in other parts of the country "y'all" is singular for "you" while the plural is "all y'all." Believe it or not, it came about to fill the hole left in English when the old forms "thee" and "thou" were dropped. So, just to clarify, I am using "y'all" as singular and "all y'all" as plural. I hope that makes the story a bit easier to follow. Sorry it has taken me so long to update, but I had to really, really edit this chapter. I hope I did a proper job of it.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Chapter 32

There was silence in the room after Dr. Ludwig left. No one knew what to say. None of them could have foreseen the results of this gathering and each, in their own way, was stunned by the developments.

Sam stood up and poked Tara. "Tara, we'd better head out. I'm sure Bill and Sookie are going to need some time." He turned to Sookie. "Sook, I'll see you when I see you. Take whatever time you two need, and y'all come back to work whenever you're ready. Tara and I will cover for you." Sam took Tara's hand, pulled her off the sofa, and drug her from the house without protest. "Let's go, Tara."

Sookie looked at Bill silently, thankful that Sam had known what they needed and had given it by taking Tara and leaving. She looked at Bill. She couldn't hear what he was thinking, but his expression spoke volumes. He was staring into nowhere, overwhelmed by the events of the night. Although he was sitting right next to her, he wasn't present at all, and the feeling she got from their connection was one of utter despair. He was crushed. Sookie wrapped her arms around him, pulled him to her, and held him tightly. The shock of Dr. Ludwig's discovery began to work on Bill, and Sookie felt him begin to tremble in her embrace. Pushing aside her own pain, she focused on the dead man in her arms.

_Oh God, will Bill be able to get through this?_

She could feel hopelessness overpower Bill like a wave, and her heart broke for him. What had started as trembling grew to quaking, and Sookie held him as tightly as she could.

_He already believes he's a monster...now this. A monster even among monsters. God, help him..._

Bill felt the same despair he'd felt the night Lorena had turned him. Again, he'd been changed. Again, he'd had no choice. Again, he was different, a danger to everyone around him. He was an unwilling witness to his own metamorphosis. Again.

He couldn't think. Disjointed thoughts ran through his head and he couldn't capture a single one. He was completely at sea, with no solid place to put his feet.

There was only Sookie.

She was still here.

How she could remain with a creature like him was beyond Bill's understanding, but he was thankful for her presence nonetheless. It was only the feel of her arms around him that allowed him to retain his sanity. He wrapped trembling arms around Sookie, returning her embrace and burying his face in her hair. She was a fixed point in the universe, his anchor in all this madness.

...

Heading back to the bar, Sam and Tara rode together silently for several minutes, each lost in their own thoughts. Tara broke the silence with a question.

"What do you think is gonna' happen now, Sam?"

Sam shook his head and kept his eyes on the road before him. "I don't know, Tara."

"I sure didn't expect this. I thought we'd find out what's going on with Sookie, maybe find a way to help her. But this mess with Bill – that's something else entirely. I fucking didn't see that coming."

Sam sighed. "Me neither."

"I wonder if Bill's the reason Sookie's in trouble. Maybe this venom thing is causing her headaches. Sookie told me that Bill doesn't take blood from anybody but her."

Sam glanced at Tara. "It that so?"

"Yeah, it is. Maybe she's been gettin' a dose every time he bites her to feed. What if he's poisoning her?"

"Well if that's what's been happening, neither of them knew it."

"You think so, Sam?"

"I'm sure of it. If there's anything I'm certain about, it's that Bill wouldn't knowingly hurt Sookie. That damned vampire really loves her."

"Shit, Sam, that's something I never expected to hear from your mouth."

"Yeah, well it surprises the hell out of me, too. Since we all got together to help Sookie, I've been watching him. Compton has done things for Sookie's sake that I never would have imagined. Hell, he even swallowed his pride to ask me to help protect her when all I wanted was to stake the son of a bitch, and he knew it. I don't know if I could've done the same in his place."

"And tonight," Tara added, "tonight he went out there to keep Eric away from her even though he knew that he didn't stand a chance in hell..."

Sam sighed as he pulled into the parking lot and turned off the engine. "Yep. No doubt about it. He loves her, all right. Shit."

Tara looked at him silently. Sam still had a thing for Sookie; he was trying to hide it, but he was doing a lousy job. She patted his leg and Sam gave her a look of thanks and squeezed her hand. They got out of the car and headed into the darkened bar to rearrange work schedules and do some extra prep work for the next day.

...

Sookie held Bill tightly until his shaking had stopped, then released him and looked into his eyes. She wiped the bloody tears from his face with her fingers. "Are you OK, Bill?"

Bill couldn't speak. He was still overwhelmed and couldn't find the words to answer her.

"Bill, please. I need to know if you're OK..."

Bill dropped his gaze and shook his head. He couldn't look at her. He was too ashamed.

Sookie put both hands on Bill's face and lifted it, looking again into his eyes and willing him to believe her. "Bill, I love you. I'm not going anywhere. I don't care about this, understand?" She moved to kiss him, but Bill pulled away from her.

"No, Sookie, don't..."

"Bill..."

"Sookie, what if it's me? What if this... this venom is making you sick? I can't risk it."

"Dr. Ludwig says it isn't."

"She can't know that for certain; she only just examined you. She hasn't done any testing yet."

"But she's right, Bill. I know she's right. The timing's all wrong. Look, the headaches started the night of the explosion. That was weeks before the changes in the way you taste and smell, before the venom showed up. You're not responsible for this. There's no way you could be."

"I can't take the chance, Sookie."

That was the last straw. The stress of not knowing what was wrong with her, the continuing noise of the voices in her head, and the unrelenting headaches finally got to her. It wasn't bad enough that Eric had shown up and nearly killed Bill; now he thought he was going to poison her if he kissed her. Sookie blew up in frustration and anger. Without warning, she grabbed Bill and shoved him back against the sofa, digging her fingers into his shoulders and hollering at him at the top of her voice. "Now you listen to me, William Thomas Compton! You don't get to make decisions for me. If you think for one minute you're gonna quit kissing me, y'all are out of your dead fucking mind. We're gonna keep doin' what we've been doin', and that includes kissing me like you always have, sex whenever we feel like it, and you feed when you're hungry. I'm not givin' up one damned thing 'cause of this – _**not one.**_ You hear me, Mr. Compton?"

Sookie glared at Bill and deliberately planted a kiss full on Bill's mouth, slipping her tongue between his lips and intentionally triggering his fangs. When she pulled back, Bill's face wore a look of complete shock.

"But Sookie..."

"No buts, Bill Compton." Still madder than hell, she looked him straight in the eye. "For somebody who has been around as long as you have, you can be damned stupid. I told you. I'd rather be dead than without you. Did you think I was kidding?"

"It's a figure of speech..."

"Not to me it isn't. I didn't know how lonely I was until I wasn't any more. I'm not going back to that. I'm not giving up the man I love. I've lost enough people in my life already, and I am _**not**_ losing you. I'm not going to be without the one person in the world who makes me happy. No fucking way. Understand me?"

Bill stared at Sookie in silence, then lifted his hands in capitulation. "All right, Miss Stackhouse."

"Good." Sookie let out a deep breath, putting her head on his shoulder and an arm around his waist. Still worried that Bill would somehow disappear from her arms, she hooked her thumb into his belt. "What is it with you men, anyway? It's like all y'all don't take us seriously. Alive or dead, sometimes you're just so thick..."

"I can't help wanting to protect you, Sookie, but I certainly didn't mean to be patronizing. Forgive me, Sweetheart."

"I'll think about it." Still holding him, Sookie spoke into Bill's shirt. "You're not fooling me, Bill. Just 'cause I can't hear your thoughts doesn't mean I don't know what y'all are thinking."

"Then tell me, because I can hardly think straight at the moment."

She sat up and faced him. "You hate being a vampire, Bill, and you already think you're some kind of monster. This venom thing – this makes you different even among vampires. It's got to make you feel alone. And it's one more thing happening to you that you had no say in. I'm not an idiot. I pay attention. You got blindsided by this. We all did. But you should be thankful. I sure am."

Bill snorted. "Thankful? For being more of a monster than the monster who made me?"

"Yeah, Bill. Thankful. Without the venom, Eric would've killed you. You'd be truly dead...and I couldn't bear that." Sookie began to tear up as she thought of what almost happened.

Bill was taken aback. "Oh Sookie." He wrapped his arms around her tightly. "I didn't realize... I was surprised by all of this." Bill brushed the hair out of Sookie's face and kissed her. "You're right. We'll just go on loving one another like we have been, and hope Dr. Ludwig can figure this out. OK?"

"OK."

"Meanwhile, you look like you could use some fresh air. Shall we go out back to our tree? The quilt is still there."

"Oh, that sounds perfect." As they got up from the sofa to head outside, Sookie stopped him. "Do you have a flashlight, Bill?"

Bill raised one eyebrow in query. "A flashlight? Yes...why?"

"Just bring it, will you?"

...

Across the globe, Brother Bede was packing. For more than 20 years he had been caring for the archives, and his superiors had ordered him on sabbatical. They seemed to think he needed a rest, but truly he enjoyed his work and had never felt the need for a vacation. He accepted his temporary transfer in accordance with his vow of obedience. Surely, the Lord must have something planned for him. He had hoped to visit one of the Dominican communities in France or perhaps Germany – they had fine libraries as well; but it was not to be. His abbot was sending him to the United States and he was to spend his time at a community there. When received his instructions he was quite intrigued, and Brother Bede was eager to see what other surprises God had up his sleeve. He was headed to the Southern Dominican Province of St. Martin de Porres in Metarie, Louisana.

...

Sookie's quilt was folded neatly beneath the oak, and Bill spread it out for them. Sitting, he took her hand and coaxed her down with him. "So tell me, Sookie. What's the flashlight for?"

Sookie sat in front of him, legs folded under her, and fidgeted with the flashlight. "Don't get upset, Bill. I want to see what Dr. Ludwig saw when she examined you."

"What? Why?"

"She didn't find anything until she looked in your mouth. I want to know what she was looking at, and I think you should know, too."

Bill looked uncomfortable with the whole idea, but he was willing to assuage Sookie's curiosity. "Well, if that's what you need, Sweetheart, go ahead. What do you want me to do?"

Sookie turned on the flashlight. "Just open wide, I guess..."

Feeling self-conscious and just a bit silly, Bill complied. Sookie shone the light into his mouth and looked intently. "Oh wow, Bill..." Unable to speak with his mouth open like a gaping fish, Bill lifted his eyebrow in inquiry. "I mean, I knew from kissing you that your fangs folded out of the way, but I had no idea what they looked like. It's amazing, really. They fit against the roof of your mouth perfectly." Sookie withdrew and turned the light away. "I'm impressed. Why didn't you ever tell me how cool it was?"

"It never occurred to me to associate words like 'amazing' or 'cool' with being a vampire."

"Do you have very much control over them coming out, Bill?"

"Well, I can extend them voluntarily to feed or fight, but most times it's just a reflex...like the night you first kissed me."

Sookie grinned at the memory. "You kind of surprised me that night. I wasn't expecting it."

"Hmm...well, I guess kissing a vampire doesn't come under the definition of 'normal.' "

"Yeah, but you've really spoiled me, Bill. Kissing somebody without fangs is kind of like eatin' an egg without salt. I mean, it's still an egg, but it's bland as all get out."

Pretending to be offended, Bill protested, "So you're telling me that kissing me has all the excitement of eating an egg?"

With a giggle, she replied, "No, silly. I'm trying to tell you how much I like kissing you, especially with your fangs out. I never imagined how sexy it would be."

"Oh." Bill leaned close to her and teased her with his best bedroom voice. " So, what else do you want to know about my sexy fangs, Sookie?"

"Can you make them come out slowly, so I can see how they work?"

"I have no idea...but I can try it. Got your flashlight ready?"

"Yep."

With Sookie watching carefully, Bill tried extending his fangs as slowly as he could. He didn't know if such control was possible, but Sookie's curiosity had sparked his own and he wondered just how much control he did have. He was surprised to find that he had more than he thought.

"Very, very cool, Bill." Sookie reached a finger into his mouth and touched his palate. As she did so, a bit of the clear, viscous liquid she had seen before appeared at the tip of one fang. She touched her finger to it and looked at it carefully under the light, and Bill closed his mouth and joined her in her examination.

"So. That's the venom?"

"I guess it is." Though Bill moved to stop her, she touched it to her tongue. "Yeah, Bill, that's it. That's why you taste so damn good."

"You're sure?"

"Uh huh. When your fangs came down, I could see the roof of your mouth. It looks normal, but if you look really close you can barely make something out near your fangs. That must be what Dr. Ludwig saw."

"She said that vampire fangs are like viper fangs. I know rattlesnakes and such have venom sacs that connect to their fangs. Wherever the venom is coming from, that must be where it goes into them." Bill shook his head in disbelief.

"Where'd you learn about rattlesnakes?"

"Personal experience...it was during the war."

"You're kidding."

"No. You'd be amazed at what we were willing to eat when the food ran out."

Sookie saw the flicker of pain across Bill's eyes at the memory, so she returned to the subject at hand. "Well, whatever. I barely touched your mouth and this came out of one fang, so it's got to be the venom. But I don't get it. You're a vampire, and your sense of smell is really good – so why can't you smell this? It smells wonderful to me. The other thing I don't understand is, how come when you bit Eric he was in a world of pain, but, since you started tasting so good, you biting me actually hurts less." Sookie shook her head. "I'm confused."

"Was there some other reason you were curious about all this, Sookie?"

"I was just wondering if you had any control over the venom when you bite. I thought that maybe if you had control over your fangs, you might have control over the venom, too. I guess I'm just worried about you poisoning somebody unintentionally, like if you need to feed or something. I don't want anybody coming after you."

"So you're trying to protect me."

Sookie nodded.

"Welcome to my world, Sweetheart."

Sookie took Bill's hands in hers and leaned forward to kiss him. Bill responded, giving her a long, long kiss, making sure his fangs were present.

"Make love to me, Bill."

Bill stood and undressed. Holding out a hand to help Sookie get up, he helped her remove her clothing as well. He ran his hands through her pale hair, admiring her as she stood before him in the moonlight. Bill kissed her long and tenderly, giving her mouth his full attention. He loved the feel of her in his arms. Earlier that night he'd thought he would never hold her again. Sookie was right. He should be thankful. Monster or not, the poison in his system had given him another night with the warm, loving woman before him. He didn't understand it any more than Sookie did, but at this moment it didn't matter. Only their love for each other mattered.

...

Pam pushed open the office door to find Eric at his desk, a bar towel wrapped around his wrist. "You called me. What the hell happened?"

Grimacing in pain, Eric replied with a single word. "Compton."

"What?" Pam sat in the chair across from her maker.

"He is trying to break Sookie's bond with me. She's too valuable to me to allow it."

"And?"

"They were at his home. I went there to remind him of his place and the fool attacked me. I was about to end him permanently when he bit me."

"This is a bite? From a vampire? Give me your hand and let me look..." Pam got up and removed the towel from Eric's wrist and examined the bleeding wound. "Why aren't you healing? And why does it still hurt?" She moved his hand and Eric winced. "It looks almost like you've been silvered."

"Believe me, this hurts far more than silver..."

"Let me call Dr. Ludwig."

"She's already seen me. She was at Compton's."

"What did she say?"

"To quote her exact words, she said. 'You're going to hurt for a while, you dumb shit, but you'll heal.' "

"Does she know what caused this?"

"She didn't say, but she looked remarkably pleased about it. If she wasn't the best healer available, I would seriously consider draining her. More importantly, I have to consider what to do about Bill Compton. Whatever is going on here, he could challenge my position as sheriff."

"Bill?" Pam rolled her eyes. "He's got the least ambition of any vampire I've ever known. All he cares about is that ridiculous human of his. I really don't think he's any threat to you as sheriff."

Rewrapping his wrist, Eric said, "We'll have to watch him carefully nevertheless..."

...

Lying beneath the oak tree following their lovemaking, Sookie was nestled against Bill's side, one leg over his and her arm across his chest. Bill could feel growing uncertainty in her through their connection, and he addressed it.

"Sookie, is something bothering you?"

"Oh, I'm just thinking about what Dr. Ludwig said tonight. It's kind of catching up with me."

"It was a lot of information to take in all at once."

"Yeah, it was. Mostly it's just two things that keep sticking in my head."

"Which two, Sweetheart?"

"Well, one of them was what she said about the cause of all this. She said that this wasn't from the explosion, and that it's something affecting both of us. I have no idea what that means. Are my headaches connected to what's changing you? I don't get any of it. I wish she had been clearer."

"And what's the second thing?"

"Breaking Eric's hold on me. I mean, I had no idea. People get blood transfusions all the time. I never knew there were so many risks involved. I kind of expected any risks to be with what Eric did to me, not with some everyday human medical procedure to fix it. I hate what he did to me, but I don't know if I'm ready to go through all that yet."

"Well, you have time, Sookie. Dr. Ludwig said there was no deadline."

"It scares me. I could end up a vegetable or something and not even be able to recognize you. Even if it all goes right, that asshole probably would find another way to do it again, and I'd be in the same boat. He's such a slime..."

"Whatever you decide, Sookie, it's OK."

"You know, if I didn't have a headache already, all this drama tonight would sure give me one."


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Bill and Sookie spent the next week awaiting word from Dr. Ludwig. In the meantime, Sookie tried to keep to her regular work schedule in spite of her headaches. She was determined to maintain her independence, and that meant working to pay her bills. Some days were worse than others, but Bill's presence was a big help. He had become a regular at Sam's bar whenever Sookie worked a late shift, arriving shortly after nightfall and remaining until she was finished for the day.

Bill wanted to be at Merlotte's for Sookie's sake, but at the same time he did his best not to disrupt Sam's business. To that end, he had abandoned his original place at the end of the bar and found a seat at a small table farthest away from the diners. In a dimly lit corner near the juke box, he could drink his TruBlood and be as inconspicuous as possible. He was curious, therefore, when Josh Anders walked over to him one night with a cue in his hand.

Josh greeted him simply. "Mr. Compton."

"Mr. Anders." Bill replied. "What can I do for you?"

"Well, sir, I was wonderin' if y'all would join me in a game of pool."

Bill studied the man for a moment. "Is this in some way connected to the indomitable Debra?"

Josh smiled. "Yes, sir, it is. My wife and her sister are having a little hen party tonight, and I'm tryin' to stay out of their hair, so I came on by to play a little pool. Unfortunately, I'm short an opponent and was wonderin' if you'd oblige."

"It's been a number of years since I played, Mr. Anders."

"I go by Josh. And that's fine with me. I'm not very good; I only play to keep myself out of trouble."

Bill considered Josh's invitation for a moment, then nodded and got up to join him. "Please, call me Bill."

...

Sookie was in back filling an order for several iced teas when an agitated Arlene sought her out.

"Sookie..."

"Hey, Arlene."

"Did you know that vamp boyfriend of yours is playing pool with Josh Anders?"

"Bill's playing pool? How funny...I didn't know he knew how."

"That's not the point, Sookie. What if he's trying to get back at Josh for what he did to you the other night?"

"That wouldn't be hard. Josh can't play to save his soul. It's a wonder he doesn't do himself damage every time he picks up a cue."

"That ain't what I mean. What if he's settin' him up to drain him later...?"

"Arlene! You should be ashamed of yourself. Y'all are letting your bigotry run away with your imagination."

"Sookie, he's a vampire..."

"I'm well aware of what Bill is, Arlene. I also know who he is. Bill wouldn't drain Josh...it'd be rude. Besides, he doesn't have to."

"What? Why?"

Sookie turned around and scowled at her. "Because. When he gets hungry, he has me."

"But..."

"I'm the only human Bill feeds on. And before you get all worked up – I like it that way. So you just keep your nasty comments about my boyfriend to yourself. Here." Sookie shoved her tray of iced teas into a startled Arlene's hands. "Table 6 is waiting for these." She turned on her heel and headed back to Sam's office.

After she had closed the office door behind her, Sookie sat on the sofa and put her head in her hands. Even with Bill being in the bar, her head was still pounding, and she briefly wondered just how bad it would be if he wasn't here. A moment later the door opened and Sam walked in, closing it behind him.

"Sook? You OK?"

Sookie looked up and sat back on the sofa. "I'm fine, Sam."

Sam turned his desk chair away from the desk and sat across from Sookie, taking note of the dark circles under her eyes. Hands clasped and leaning forward in the chair, he said, "Not according to Bill, you're not. Tara, neither. She said she saw you and Arlene talking, then you left and Arlene came out front with a bean up her nose about something. What happened?"

"Oh... it was Arlene just being her scared, bigoted self. She's convinced that Bill's going to do something to Josh, and I snapped at her." Sookie's eyes began to tear. "I'm sorry, Sam. I didn't mean to cause trouble at work. I just get so tired of everybody pickin' at me all the time because of Bill, and my head hurts, and I just wasn't able to let it roll off me this time..."

"It's OK, Sookie. Your shift is almost up anyway. Why don't you head on home?"

"Sam..."

"Look. Y'all got to get Bill out of here for my sake, anyway. I can't stand watching him trying not to clobber Josh at eight-ball...it's just too pitiful for words."

Sookie smiled through her tears. "Yeah, Josh is about the worst pool player I ever saw. Somebody should've warned Bill."

"Y'all head out the back. You don't need any more nasty thoughts from the customers. I'll tell Bill to meet you, OK?"

"Thanks, Sam."

...

Sookie walked out the back door and found Bill already waiting for her. He wrapped his arms around her and she leaned into him wearily. Bill said, "Let's get you home."

Sookie handed Bill her car keys and they walked to her little Gremlin. As Bill opened the door for her and helped her into the car, his phone rang. He pulled it from his pocket and checked the caller ID before answering. "It's Dr. Ludwig, Sook. Hello?"

"Mr. Compton, this is Dr. Ludwig."

Bill closed the door and walked to the driver's side. "Hello Doctor. Do you have the results of Sookie's tests?"

"No, I don't. I'm having a hell of a time with them. I need more samples from Ms. Stackhouse, and from you, too. When can you get here?"

"Just a moment, Doctor. Let me check." Bill got into the driver's seat and turned to Sookie.

"Did she find anything yet?"

"She didn't. She needs more samples from you, and from me as well. Are you well enough to go out there now?"

"Not really, but let's go anyway and get it over with so we can just go home."

Bill returned to the phone. "Dr. Ludwig, we'll come now."

"Fine. I'll be here."

...

Dr. Ludwig hung up the phone, then pushed the speed dial for her brother-in-law. A groggy, unintelligible voice answered.

"Joey? It's Margaret. Wake up and shake the cobwebs out of your brain. I need to talk to you."

"Maggie? You never call this late. What's up?"

"I'm doing some tests on a human who got herself mixed up with some damned vampires, and I can't make hide nor hair out of the blood samples."

"Vampires... plural? She got involved with more than one?"

"Yep, she sure did. One willingly and the other not. I have her coming over now so I can take more samples, and I'm getting samples from the vamp, too. Something damned strange going on between the two."

"We should get samples from both vampires. Did you write up your notes yet?"

"I did. I can email them."

"Good. I'll get some caffeine in me so I can read them and get up to speed. See you in the morning?"

"Yeah, but make it after 10. I'm going to have to get some sleep before I tackle this again."

"OK. 'Night Maggie. See you tomorrow."

Dr. Ludwig hung up the phone, went to the kitchen to make a cup of tea, then sat in her study and waited for the vampire and his human to arrive.

...

Bill parked in front of the house and opened the door for Sookie, helping her from the car and up the steps to the bougainvillea-covered porch.

"Where are we, Bill?"

"This is Dr. Ludwig's home. She works from here."

Bill knocked on the door, and the healer answered, inviting them in and ushering them both into the study. She'd already laid out her vials and instruments for taking more samples, but stopped and peered at Sookie over the top of her glasses.

"You look worse than you did the last time I saw you." She felt along Sookie's jaw and then checked her forehead for fever. "How do you feel?"

"Awful. My head was hurting something fierce tonight, even around Bill. It didn't start to ease up until we were by ourselves in the car on our way here."

"Huh. Have a seat." The healer tied a band around Sookie's arm, prepped the skin, and proceeded to draw blood from her.

Bill asked, "Dr. Ludwig, was there a problem with Sookie's first blood samples?"

"Damned if I know. The results I got made no sense."

Sookie looked up as Dr. Ludwig finished and asked, "So what do we do now?"

"I called my brother-in-law. He's a decent healer himself, but he's also got this warped fascination with human medicine. He's been fiddling around with things like immunology and genetics for years, looking for connections between healing and medicine. I always thought it was a waste of time, myself, but maybe he can help me figure out what's going on with you two. I'll see him tomorrow."

Dr. Ludwig changed her gloves and picked up a vial. "Now for you, vampire. I need a blood sample." She handed him the vial along with a towel and waited as Bill bit into his forearm, filled it, and handed it back to her. She capped it, wiped it clean, and set it aside along with the bloodied towel. Then she handed him another empty vial.

Bill looked at her. "What's this one for?"

"I need a sample of the venom, too."

Sookie moved close to Bill and said, "Here. Let me help. Show your fangs, Bill." She positioned his hand to hold the vial beneath one fang, then slid her finger into his mouth to gently press on his palate as she had before, this time holding it there until the container was nearly filled with the clear, thick liquid. Finished, she took the vial from Bill and handed it to the healer.

Dr. Ludwig looked at her with curiosity. "How the hell did you know how to do that?"

"I discovered it the night we found out about Bill."

Bill took Sookie by the hand. "Sookie was curious about what you found when you examined me. She's afraid I might poison someone by accident, so we've been trying to see if there's a way to control it – to see if I can bite without venom, if that's even possible."

"Hmm... That's a good idea since right now I have absolutely no idea how toxic it is." The healer placed her instruments and samples into a basin and covered it with a cloth before removing her gloves and stuffing them into a pocket. She handed Bill a plastic bag containing yet another of the sample vials. "You'll need this."

Bill lifted an eyebrow in query. "For what?"

"I need a blood sample from the other vampire, too. Let me know when you have it."

Sookie, still standing next to Bill, gripped his shoulder and he put his hand over hers to calm her. "I will."

"Well then. I have what I need from you two, so get the hell out of here so I can get some sleep and start fresh tomorrow."

Bill nodded his assent and the couple left for home.

...

Sookie was silent as they drove back, and Bill could feel her agitation. "Sookie...don't worry. We'll find a way to get through this."

"That's not what's worrying me."

"Then what is?"

"I'm afraid. Dr. Ludwig wants blood from Eric, and I don't want you anywhere near him. Especially not after the other night. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"It will be fine, Sweetheart. He'll give it to me for the same reason he gave me Dr. Ludwig's name. He wants your telepathy intact, and whatever is going on jeopardizes that. He'll help."

"But he's so twisted, Bill. After what you did to him the other night, who knows what he'll do."

"Sookie, Eric is nothing if not mercenary. He won't do anything to me until he's sure he can't use me to his advantage."

"Just be careful, OK?"

...

They got back to Bon Temps and Sookie's house before midnight and she was pleased to have a portion of the night left to spend with Bill. Leaving the car at her house, Bill and Sookie walked to the Compton place through the cemetery, taking their time and enjoying the first relaxing moments they'd had together all night. Sookie enjoyed walking with Bill. Even on the darkest night she never had to worry about where she was going – Bill's night vision was better than most folks' during the day, and with his arm around her she had no fear of stumbling.

As they walked through the cemetery holding each other, Sookie asked Bill about his evening. "So, you and Josh were playing pool tonight, huh? How was it?"

Bill was quiet for a moment, considering his answer. "It was...remarkably ordinary."

"Is that good or bad?" she giggled.

"Let's just say it was refreshing."

"I guess 'ordinary' isn't a word a vampire gets to use much." Sookie gave him a squeeze as they walked.

"No, it's not." Bills stopped and turned to her. "Is he really as terrible at the game as he seems?"

Sookie grinned. "Oh, yeah. He's really hopeless. He can hardly get anybody to play him anymore."

Bill shook his head. "I'd thought that perhaps he was just being polite to a new opponent, or he was going to hustle me. But he never got any better."

"Sam said it was just pitiful."

"He's right. It was." He brushed her hair back from her face and ran his thumb over her lip. He looked into Sookie's face, unexpectedly grateful for his enhanced vision. Her eyes in the dark were one of his favorite things.

"A penny for your thoughts..."

Bill smiled. "Another one?" Sookie nodded. "I'm looking at your eyes, Sookie."

"My eyes? Why?"

He moved closer to her, running his hands through her hair. "I love looking at your eyes in the dark. They're so beautiful..."

"My eyes look different in the dark?"

"Yes, Sweetheart. They open up in the dark, so liquid and deep, like bottomless pools. I could lose myself in them."

Sookie blushed, unsure of what to think, and looked away. Bill put a finger under her chin and lifted her face back to his. "I didn't dream before I met you, Sookie. After I was turned, I had only nightmares. Eventually even the nightmares stopped. But after I met you, I started dreaming again, and so many of my best dreams are of your eyes in the dark."

Bill leaned in to kiss her, gently, and Sookie melted into him. To her surprise he pulled away from her. "Let's go home, Sookie."

They continued their leisurely walk to the Compton home, and Sookie said, "Bill, do you remember the first time we walked here?"

"I do. That was the night you first kissed me."

"That was a nice kiss..."

They arrived at the house and climbed the steps. Bill opened the door for Sookie and led her to the sofa, sitting next to her.

"Bill, what's wrong? You got really quiet all of a sudden."

"Bill kissed her hair and took her hand. Sookie, do you remember the conversation we had during that first walk?"

"Of course. How could I forget it?"

"I said I had lied to you. Some of the lies I told you were during that first walk."

Sookie could feel Bill's discomfort. He was preparing to tell her something that obviously was causing him pain, and she wasn't quite sure what to do. Her curiosity was killing her – she had made a deliberate effort not to think about the unnamed lies Bill had told her about, but it seemed that he was trying to tell her at least one of them now. She rubbed his hand to let him know it was OK to speak. "It's all right, Bill. If you want to talk about it, I'm listening. If you don't, I can wait."

He squeezed her hand, unable to look at her. "You asked me that night if I had killed a lot of people, and I told you I'd killed a few by accident. That was a lie, Sookie. I can't count the number of people I've killed, drained, and disposed of like so much trash."

The expression on Bill's face was grim, and Sookie could feel how difficult it was for him to tell her this.

"When a human is turned, they have no idea how to survive. Their maker has to teach them everything. What kind of vampire you are depends a great deal on your maker. The first thing I was aware of after Lorena turned me was the hunger. It's a hunger the likes of which a human can never experience...unbelievably relentless. You can't think of anything else. It was so intense that I didn't even recognize it for what it was at first. My maker had to teach me."

"From the little bit I know about Lorena, it must have been horrible."

"It was. She was determined to control every aspect of my existence. She made that perfectly clear the first night I awoke after my turning. I was so hungry, Sookie, the kind of hunger that makes you lose your mind. As soldiers, we had starved during the war, but that was nothing compared with the hunger I experienced that first night. Lorena began breaking my will from the very start. She brought me my first meal that night...a child. He was not more than 8 years old."

"Oh God, Bill..."

"He was terrified. Lorena hadn't glamoured him, and I didn't know how. She locked him in with me, laughing, and wished me 'bon appetit...'

Sookie gripped Bill's hand tighter as tears began to form in her eyes. _Bill had had children near that age..._

"I tried to get Lorena to free him. I promised her anything and everything. Eventually I gave up. I did my best to calm the boy, but I was afraid to get near him. I could smell his blood, Sookie. I didn't know what it was, but the smell was hypnotic. Hour after hour she kept us locked in that storeroom. I don't quite remember everything at the end...the hunger does that eventually. The mind shuts down and vampire instinct takes over. But I murdered that child. I killed him and fed on him with no more thought... And the worst part was how much I _enjoyed_ it. To feed after fighting against the hunger so long..."

Bill shook his head, eyes closed. "Lorena was cruel. She was like a cat toying with its prey. She wouldn't glamour her targets; she said it took the fun out of it. She liked to see the terror in their eyes before she fed. She killed when she didn't need to, just because she enjoyed it. And she taught me to kill the same way. For fun. Not even because we were hungry, but just because we could. And afterward, she would be aroused, and we'd couple there in the blood of our victims."

"But you're not like that now, Bill. What happened?"

"I don't know. All I know is that year after year, decade after decade, I just couldn't do it any more. Every time we fed it got harder. I began refusing to have sex with Lorena in the blood of our prey, although she would command me to from time to time just to remind me that I was under her control as my maker. I wanted to learn how to glamour, and I tricked her into teaching me. At least glamouring meant that the people I killed wouldn't die in fear. Eventually I grew more and more disgusted with her, and with myself. There was no synthetic blood then. There was no way to survive without feeding on humans. I began feeding more frequently, taking only a little from each victim and letting them go on their way. Lorena was furious when she found out."

"Bill, what did she do to you?"

"Well, let's just say that I learned that even vampires can feel pain." Bill ran his free hand over his face as if to wipe away the memory, and resumed his narrative. "The end finally came one night in the 1930s. Lorena had gone out on the town, and I just couldn't bring myself to go with her. She'd glamoured a chorus girl and brought her home for me to feed upon. When I saw her, I just couldn't. She was so innocent. She looked so much like that first child...even the color of her hair. I refused. Lorena tried to compel me. We fought, but of course I couldn't win against my own maker. I had to be free of her. If she wouldn't release me, then the only alternative was the true death. I picked up a piece of a broken table from the rubble of our fight and was going to stake myself...

"Bill!"

Bill squeezed her hand. "I didn't know what else to do, Sookie. She freed me. I still don't know why. Until Dallas, I hadn't seen her since."

"What a bitch."

"She is that."

"Well, I can see how you wouldn't want to drag all that out with somebody you'd just met."

"I told you I was a monster, Sookie."

"You had no choice, Bill. She was your maker. It's not like you had any free will."

I'm not a monster because I killed all those people, Sookie. I'm a monster because _I liked it._"

"Do you still like it?"

"Sometimes. I confess that sometimes there is a certain satisfaction in it."

"Like the Rattrays?"

"Like the Rattrays."

Sookie let go of Bill's hand and sat herself on his lap, facing him. "Bill, you're a vampire. You didn't choose it. And you're one of the most decent people I've ever met. You must have been a good man when you were human, or else you never would have bothered struggling against your vampire instincts all these years. There's darkness in everybody. Killing Rene still haunts me. I have nightmares about it. But there's a part of me that's so damned glad the son of a bitch is dead... I have to fight that in myself. I have to remind myself that it's wrong to be happy about decapitating somebody. Sometimes I hear Gran's voice in my head, hollering at me to do the right thing. That's just part of being human, Bill. That's just a part of the humanity you've managed to hang onto. I think it's time y'all quit beating yourself up about it."

"Do you know how hard it has been for me to tell you this, Sookie? I'm so afraid that if you learn the whole truth about me that you'll walk away and never look back."

"Where would I go, Bill? I've never loved anybody like I love you. I'm not perfect, either."

Bill lifted an eyebrow.

"I'm human, Bill. I whine. I belch. I get gas. And then there's my temper..."

"Yes. Your temper...I'm familiar with your temper."

"So now that you got this off your chest, will you kiss me for Pete's sake? My lips have been twitchin' since you cut that last kiss short in the cemetery."

"Gladly, Miss Stackhouse. We can't have you twitching, can we?" Bill extended his fangs as he pulled her to him, determined to kiss her thoroughly.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Bill continued to spend his hours at the bar with Sookie whenever she was at work. He watched as she struggled through each day, and he was fascinated by her perseverance and optimism. She had a way of finding something good in just about anything, and he was enthralled at how her mind worked. She surprised Bill one night when she told him that even the nonstop headaches had a plus side to them – she got to spend not only her evenings with Bill, but a good portion of her workday with him close by.

Still, even with Bill nearby, she felt just awful by the end of each shift and it was a relief when she could go home with him. Being around him eased her headaches, and the quiet in her head because she couldn't hear his thoughts was another source of comfort. And then there was Bill himself. He did what he could to ease her pain, and Sookie was the grateful recipient of his ministrations. More often than not, though, what started as a warm, relaxing soak in his clawfoot tub or a massage to loosen her sore muscles ended up in a long session of lovemaking.

One evening after a particularly enthusiastic sexual encounter, Sookie playfully teased Bill about being "a messy eater" and licked her blood from his hand. That was when she discovered that her blood tasted like Bill after he fed. She reasoned it was because of the venom she received with each bite, and the idea percolated in her mind for some days after.

...

It was the lull before the dinner rush at Merlotte's and for the moment the place was empty. Arlene was about done with her break and was relaxing with her last cup of coffee in a booth near the front windows. She watched as an old Plymouth pulled into the lot and a rotund man in khaki pants and a short-sleeved, button-front shirt got out with a map in his hands. He unfolded it on the hood of the car and studied it, peering at it through his wire-rimmed glasses, then removing them and bending over it closely until his nose nearly touched it.

Lafayette walked over to the table with a cup in his hand and stood next to Arlene. "Who the hell is that, Arlene?"

"Beats me. I never saw him before."

"Well, I'd say he was a tourist, but sure as hell there ain't nothing in this backwater hole in the road worth making the trip for."

Arlene snorted in agreement, and the two of them watched as the man replaced his glasses and began to wrestle with the map, trying to refold it properly and having a difficult time of it.

"Would'ja look at him fight with that thing, Lafayette? It looks like an episode of the Three Stooges."

Lafayette sipped at his cup. "Somebody oughtta tell that fool about GPS. Well, just in case Curly manages to conquer the motherfucker, I'ma going back to the kitchen."

The man finally managed to get the map folded and looked up, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. Turning toward the bar, he began walking toward the door.

The red headed waitress sighed and put down her coffee. "I guess my break is over."

...

Brother Bede walked into the bar with the map in his hand and a bewildered look on his face. Arlene approached him with a menu.

"Hi. Where'd y'all like to sit?"

"Hello, hello my dear. Anyplace is fine, thank you."

Arlene led him to a booth near the back by a window and handed him the menu. "Can I get y'all something to drink?"

"Do you have red wine?"

"Sure do."

"I'll have a glass, please."

Arlene left to fetch his wine, and Brother Bede looked over the menu. Having decided on a cheeseburger and fries, he took a moment to look around the bar, taking in every detail. He hadn't been back in the United States for years, since he first went to Rome after his education in the seminary, and he was thoroughly enjoying himself. The trip from the priory was refreshing, and he soaked up the sights of the countryside on his journey.

Arlene came over to take his order and, after telling her what he wanted, Brother Bede addressed her. "I'm afraid I'm a little lost. I'm trying to find Bon Temps..."

Without looking up from her pad while writing his order, she replied, "Well y'all found it. You're in Bon Temps."

"Wonderful, wonderful! I was afraid I had taken a wrong turn off 507."

"You came up 507? Where abouts you coming from?"

"Metairie."

"Well, no wonder... y'all can get here a lot faster than on 507."

"Oh, but it was just lovely, lovely! Such a pleasant drive. I enjoyed every minute of it."

"Uh huh." Arlene picked up his menu and headed back to the kitchen to place his order.

"Here you go, Lafayette. 'Nother cheeseburger."

Lafayette put one hand on his hip and brandished his spatula at her in exasperation. "What is it with white folks and their damned cheeseburgers? I got's a jambalaya on special today that's so good it'll make y'all's brains fall out, and all I do is stand here and flip fuckin' burgers..."

"Yeah, well this one's having wine with his."

"No shit? Now that's a new one...beer I understand, but wine with a hamburger?" Lafayette shook his head and turned to the grill, mumbling under his breath about cretins with no palate.

As the sun began to set and Brother Bede awaited his order, the bar started to fill and he spent his time in the pleasurable pastime of people-watching.

...

Sookie sat next to Bill on the old burgundy velvet and mahogany sofa in his living room with a thoughtful look on her face. She was off tonight, and she was looking forward to spending a leisurely evening recovering from the stresses of the week.

Bill combed his fingers through her hair. Through their connection he could tell that she was deeply concerned about something, and could feel her effort to sort something out in her mind.

"You're very pensive tonight, Sweetheart."

Sookie looked up. "Hmm? I'm sorry Bill. I wasn't listening."

He smiled. "Getting bored with me, Miss Stackhouse? Perhaps you'd rather be spending your time with Eric..."

"Oh _hell_ no! Don't even joke about that, Bill. I'm not bored with you in the least. Just trying to figure something out."

Bill looked his question, and Sookie responded. "I'm just wondering what's going to happen to you when I'm gone."

"Excuse me?"

"I human, Bill. I'm not going to be around forever. With this venom thing, how are you going to feed? I mean, I know you can survive on TruBlood, but it would be like a human living on nothing but rice cakes for the rest of their life. I'm worried about how you're going to manage after I die."

_Oh Sweetheart, there is no survival for me when you are gone...the day you die is the day I meet my true death..._ He left the thought unvoiced, and remained quiet for a moment before responding.

"We don't even know whether or not it has any effect on humans, Sookie."

"Yeah, well, it's been eatin' at me for the last couple of days, all the same."

"I'm not sure what we can do about it."

Sookie looked down. "I may have an idea, Bill, but I don't think y'all're going to like it much."

"So what's your idea?"

"Wait here. I'll be right back." Sookie got up and hurried upstairs to Bill's bedroom to rummage around in her overnight bag, then came back to sit with him on the sofa.

Bill took her hand in his. "What do you have there, Sookie?"

She opened her hand and showed him the item in her palm.

"A pocket knife?"

"It's the knife I used the night you got back from Rome."

He frowned at her. "You're right, Sookie. I'm not sure I like where this is going at all."

"A couple nights ago, when I teased you about being a messy eater, I could taste you in my blood, Bill. I kinda' thought it was from the venom getting in the wound when you bit me."

"And?"

"Well, I was wondering if my blood tastes that way when you don't bite me."

Bill raised an eyebrow in query.

"I mean, we've been trying to figure out if you can control the venom when you bite, but even if you can, how would we know? There's just been no way to check. So, I've been thinking...if my blood tastes different when I'm cut than it does when you bite me, maybe we can use that. If I can taste it, then we'd know there's venom in the wound. If I can't, then there isn't."

"You really are worried about this, aren't you?"

"Yeah, Bill, I am. It's been bugging me for a while, almost since we found out about you. Right now I'm the only person we're sure y'all can feed from safely, and that's dangerous."

"Well, it's obvious you've given this a lot of thought."

She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "The thought that y'all might not be able to feed...well, it scares the bejeebers out of me. I just don't want anything to happen to you."

"I understand, Sookie. But can we put this discussion on hold for a bit?"

"How come?"

"I need to head out to Fangtasia to get that blood sample from Eric."

"I still don't like the idea of you going there."

I know, Sweetheart. But I don't want to wait. I want to get it back to Dr. Ludwig right away. You're headaches are getting worse, and I don't like to see you in pain."

"I want to go with you."

"Sookie...'

"Please, Bill. I'd just be here alone worrying myself to death."

"With all those people at the bar...won't it be difficult to keep your guard up? What about all the noise?"

"I'll wait in the car for you. I should be OK. And even if I'm not, it's still better than sitting here worrying myself into a state."

"All right. Let's go. The sooner we get this done, the better."

"Thanks Bill. Thanks for not giving me a hard time about coming along."

Bill smiled at her and reached out to fondle her breast. "Well, I'm saving the hard time for when we get back..."

...

Brother Bede finished the remainder of his wine, then swirled ketchup on his last french fry and savored it. He wiped his mouth with a napkin as Arlene returned with his check.

"Was everything all right?" she asked.

"Oh my, my, it was just wonderful! I haven't had a real American cheeseburger in years...I'd forgotten just how good they are. My compliments to the _capo cuoco._"

"The what?" Arlene looked at him askance.

Brother Bede chuckled at himself. "Oh, forgive me! Force of habit, my dear. My compliments to the head cook, the chef."

"Right. I'll tell him. What language is that, anyway?"

"It's Italian. I've been there for nearly 20 years. This is my first trip home in all that time."

"Y'all are kidding me...you've been living in _Italy_ and now you're here in this nowhere hick town? Who'd you piss off?"

He laughed. "No one, I hope. My superiors decided I needed a rest, so they transferred me to Metairie for a while. The only other place in Louisiana I've ever heard of, besides New Orleans, of course, is Bon Temps... so I thought I'd take a drive and see what it looked like."

"You couldn't find something more exciting to do?"

"More exciting, possibly, but hardly more interesting. By the way, is there a hotel in town?"

"In Bon Temps?" Arlene snorted in disdain. "Not hardly. None worth staying in, at least. But let me ask Sam if he knows a decent place. I'll be right back."

...

Bill pulled his car into the Fangtasia lot. Shutting off the engine, he turned toward Sookie. "You're sure you'll be all right out here by yourself?"

"Yeah, Bill. The noise isn't too bad. Y'all sure you'll be all right in there with Eric?"

"I'll be fine." Bill paused. "It's an interesting feeling, not being afraid of Eric anymore. He's still my sheriff, and I have to respect his position, but for the first time I feel like an equal and not a subordinate under his thumb. It takes some getting used to."

"He's still treacherous. So don't you get cocky. I want you back here in one piece."

Bill gave her a quick kiss before getting out of the car. "Yes, Miss Stackhouse."

...

Brother Bede was sitting amidst the remains of his dinner when a tall man with a thatch of thick brown hair approached and slid into the booth across from him.

"Howdy. I'm Sam Merlotte. Arlene tells me y'all're looking for a hotel."

"I am. However your waitress – that's Arlene?" Sam nodded. "She also tells me that there's not much to choose from here."

"Nope, none that I would recommend. I have some rentals, and it happens that one is vacant at the moment."

"Oh my, my...I'm afraid I won't be able to stay that long. At least not now. My superiors are expecting me back in a few days."

"No problem. It's just sitting there empty. Might as well get some use out of it. You can stay as long or as short as you want. It's furnished, so you'll be comfortable. We can work out the rate later."

"Oh my, my, how kind of you. It sounds just wonderful!"

"You got a name?"

"Oh please forgive my lack of manners, Mr Merlotte. I'm Brother Bede."

Sam raised his eyebrows. "Brother?"

"Yes, yes, yes. I'm a brother of the Order of Preachers. Most people know us as Dominicans."

Sam rested his chin in his hand and studied the man for a moment. "Y'all don't look like a brother."

"It's the clothes. I usually travel in mufti, especially when driving. I have a terrible habit – excuse the pun – of getting the habit tangled up in the accelerator. My abbot has strictly forbidden me to drive unless I am wearing trousers. Something about insurance liability and public safety." He shook his head and chuckled at himself. "Apparently, I am a menace behind the wheel when I'm wearing skirts.

"So what in the world brings you to Bon Temps? Y'all startin' up a church or something?"

"Oh my, my...nothing so grand. I am here to visit a friend, William Compton."

Sam sat back in the booth and his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "How do y'all know Bill?"

Surprised at Sam's sudden coldness, the brother responded, "I met him recently in Rome. He'd come searching for some information in the archives. I'm sorry...have I said something amiss?"

"You know he's a vampire?"

"Yes, of course. Am I to understand that you don't approve of vampires?"

"Let's just say church folk haven't been too friendly to 'em around here. He's a friend of a good friend of mine, and I don't want her upset."

"Oh dear...yes, Mr. Compton told me about the bombing, and the, the _burning_ that was attempted by believers..." Brother Bede shuddered at the memory of what Bill had told him, and shook his head. "I still cannot quite wrap my mind around it...horrible. Just horrible."

...

"Well? Any ideas?" Dr. Ludwig plopped herself down in a chair as she addressed her brother-in-law.

"Ideas? Too many and not enough." Joseph Ludwig, the younger brother of Margaret's late husband, wiped his forehead and took a deep breath. "When you said there was something damned strange going on, I thought you were exaggerating."

"Hell, Joey. You ought to know me better than that by now. I don't have enough imagination in me to exaggerate."

"I wish we had an older sample of her blood to run a comparison with. Do we have the sample from the other vampire yet?"

"No. But I got the feeling that we won't have to wait very long. This Compton fellow is an oddball as vampires go. He's actually concerned about his human."

"Really? That's a new one. I don't think I've ever run into one that thought of humans as anything more than groceries."

Dr. Ludwig harumphed. "So. We got a vamp and a telepath. You can see by the tests why I was so baffled."

"Yeah. And this vamp is producing venom..." He held up the vial that contained the remains of the sample of venom. "I didn't know that was still possible."

"Goddammit Joey! Wear some fucking gloves when you mess with that crap, will you?"

"Sorry, Mags." He gingerly replaced the vial in the holder.

"That damned shit is toxic as hell."

"But you said it has no effect on her."

"Not one bit. I sat there and listened to 'em. She can taste it when she kisses him. Hell, she likes the stuff. In her words, he tastes 'more like himself.' She can fucking smell it. Crazy thing is, vampire senses or not, he can't. She's the one who first noticed it. He can't taste it or smell it."

"And there's no effect on her when he bites her with this stuff?"

"Nope. None. Apparently, she's actually taken it orally, full strength."

Joey scrubbed his fingers through his scalp vigorously, as if he were trying to rev up his brain. "And they're taking blood from each other? You sure?"

"Yep. The other woman there, the sensible one. She said they've been feeding from each other."

"But she's not a vamp..."

"No. Human. But there's this crazy eroticism going on between the two. Feeding from each other is a part of it. Funny thing is, neither one understands it."

"Not even the vamp?"

"Joey, I told you. It's stranger than hell. It's even sex in overdrive for him, and I sure never heard of that before."

"Geeze, Maggie. This stuff is so out there...I could spend my lifetime trying to figure out this mess. I imagine they're worried about what effect the venom is having on her. It wouldn't surprise me if they think he's making her sick with the stuff."

"That's exactly what they think. I wonder how they'll react when they find out that her blood is what caused the changes in him."


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

With Sookie waiting in the car, Bill approached the entrance to Fangtasia, bypassing the line and going directly to Pam who was, as usual, checking IDs at the door. He greeted her and asked for Eric.

"Good evening, Pam. Is Eric available?"

Pam glared at him. "You have a lot of balls coming here, Bill."

Bill feigned ignorance. "Excuse me?"

"Don't pretend to be innocent, Bill. You don't pull it off very well."

"I did nothing but try to protect my human." Bill leaned close and whispered in her ear. "Are you sure this is something you want to discuss here, in public?" Bill straightened up and eyed her directly, reminding her that her maker's retreat from the Compton residence probably was not something that he would like known to the community at large.

Frustrated and scowling, Pam allowed him in. "He's inside."

"Thank you, Pam."

Bill walked into the crowded bar and spied Eric in his chair on the dais. For the first time, Bill was sure of himself around Eric and no longer felt threatened by his presence. With confidence evident in his gait, Bill approached Eric's ersatz throne.

"Bill Compton." Eric glowered at him, though his voice was mild. "What brings you here?"

"Hello, Eric." He gestured toward the wide, black leather bracelets Eric now wore on his wrists. "New fashion statement?" Eric's expression hardened, but he didn't respond. "I would like to speak with you in private."

Eric paused. "Yes, I believe there are things that we need to discuss." He rose from his chair and led the way to his office, Bill following him.

On entering the office, Bill sat in the armchair opposite Eric's desk without awaiting either invitation or permission, a fact not missed by Eric. Eric looked at Bill intently for some moments before speaking. Casually he began unbuckling one of the bracelets, speaking as he did so. "I'm surprised to see you here, Bill." Removing the heavy leather band, he held up his wrist to Bill, exposing an angry red wound, still not fully healed. "You attacked your sheriff. Explain to me why I shouldn't stake you, or bring you before the magister."

To Eric's irritation, Bill lifted the corner of his lip in a small smile and pointed to the wound. "That's why."

Eric sat silently, waiting, and Bill continued.

"You won't stake me because you're no longer certain you can. And you won't bring me to the magister because, should it become known that you were bested by a vampire less than a fifth your age, your reputation, your position as sheriff, and even your survival would be in question. Not to mention that the magister would want you to explain why you forced a blood bond on a human belonging to another vampire. Besides, Eric, you're still not sure what happened, which means that you don't yet know if you can use it to your advantage. No, you won't do anything. At least not yet."

Amused, Eric smiled. "You seem to have a good grasp of the situation." He rubbed his thumb across the wound absently. "How did you do it, Bill?"

"Honestly, Eric, I have no idea."

"You expect me to believe that?"

"Believe what you wish. It's the truth. I was desperate. I had no expectation of surviving a fight with you."

"If you didn't expect to survive, then why? Why attack me in the first place?"

"Sookie."

"Sookie. You say her name like it explains everything."

"For me, it does."

Eric waited, and Bill knew he would wait as long as it took to get a satisfactory explanation.

"I was trying to protect her, Eric. She's not well."

"So you've said."

"It's not just physical pain. She's in emotional turmoil because of the blood bond you forced on her. Sookie jealously guards her independence. It's an intensely fundamental part of her nature; much stronger in her than most humans. Tricking her into taking your blood was a tactical mistake on your part. You violated her sense of self. She expects to be treated with respect, and you ignored that expectation. I have no doubt she would have been willing to help you had you simply done her the courtesy of asking."

"Hmm. That's what she said."

Bill lifted an eyebrow in query. "When was this?"

"While you were away. I paid her a little visit." Eric watched as Bill's expression hardened. "You shouldn't worry about her too much, Bill. She essentially told me the same thing you just did, but not as politely. She actually threatened me."

Bill's smile returned. "Be careful, Eric. Sookie doesn't make empty threats. I guess someone should have warned you about her temper."

"More to the point, it was legitimate; she actually could pull it off. She's more cunning that I expected for a human. She'd make a good vampire. You should consider turning her."

"Not likely."

"You didn't answer my question. Why did you attack me?"

"I told you. Sookie's ill, and we don't know why. You tricked her into a blood bond she didn't want, tantamount to rape, and undoing the bond could kill her. You endangered her. She's _**mine**_, Eric, and I had had enough. Dr. Ludwig was inside examining Sookie, trying to find a way to help her, and I wasn't about to let you interfere."

"So you found a way to break the blood bond I have with her."

"Yes."

"I didn't know that was possible. You surprise me, Bill."

"Well, you needn't worry. As it was explained to me, the bond is easily broken, but keeping the human alive afterward is not. There is a very real possibility that Sookie could die or be seriously maimed by the process. She won't be attempting it any time soon, if at all."

Leaning back in his chair, Eric began to replace the leather band. "That night Dr. Ludwig said you sent her out to help me. Why?"

"You're my sheriff. Frankly, I didn't need the trouble of having to explain things to the magister. Besides, once you were down and there was no longer an immediate danger to Sookie, there was no point. Even if I had been certain I could end you, Eric, I wouldn't have."

"That was a mistake. Had the situation been reversed, I would've had no such qualms."

"I know."

"You could have usurped my position as sheriff."

Bill sighed. "I don't want your position, Eric. I'm not interested in it, or any other office of authority, for that matter. I just want to be left in peace with Sookie. I'm aware that's not a vampire attitude, but there it is."

"You love her."

"I do."

Eric face showed his disgust. "And a human, no less. You should have rooted out that emotion a long time ago. It's a weakness."

"Perhaps. But it's one I'll keep. Besides, we both know that I'm stronger than I was before."

"Which brings us back to the beginning of this conversation. Why are you here, Bill?"

Bill reached into a pocket, pulled out the plastic bag containing the vial, and placed it on the desk in front of his sheriff.

Eric picked it up and turned it in his hands, examining it. "What's this?"

"Dr. Ludwig is trying to find out what's wrong with Sookie, and she needs a blood sample from any vampire who has given blood to her. She already has mine."

"Why should I do this?"

"The reason hasn't changed, Eric. Sookie's ill, and what ever it is, it's getting worse. If you ever hope to have a chance of making use of her telepathy, we have to find a way to help her."

"She's already refused."

"She may change her mind – the prerogative of a human woman, remember? But that won't happen if she dies."

"Dies? You're being a bit dramatic, aren't you, Bill?"

"You haven't seen her lately. When I said she was getting worse, I meant it. You went to a lot of trouble to establish a blood bond with her, Eric. Can you really not feel the pain she's in right now?"

"She has a headache. Humans don't die from a simple headache."

"Then either there's something wrong with your connection to her or, in spite of your greater age, my bond with her is stronger. You're obviously not feeling what I am. Come and see for yourself."

"I'm not going to drop everything to run to Bon Temps because a human has a headache."

Bill lifted an eyebrow in mild surprise that Eric didn't know where Sookie was. "You won't have to leave your precious bar. She's here, waiting outside."

...

Sookie watched Bill as he finished talking to Pam and walked through the door of the bar. She focused on her connection to him and noted there was no fear in him at all. She could feel his confidence and power, and it made her proud, not to mention a bit aroused, and she smiled to herself.

There was quite a crowd at Fangtasia, with a long line at the door and folks milling about in the parking lot. Pam had her hands full with fangbangers and tourists wanting to get inside, but there was no pushing or shoving. Sookie could see that Pam had her fangs out, and she was amused.

_It's amazing how polite rednecks get around a vampire. Eric doesn't have to worry about exceeding the occupancy limit with Pam at the door._

Small groups of people began to congregate in the lot, smoking, talking, and generally entertaining themselves while waiting for space to open up in the bar. Some impromptu partying had started among the twenty-somethings; here and there a joint was lit up, but more often it was a six-pack of beer pulled from a trunk and the cans handed around. The aural noise from those loitering outside wasn't too bad, but the mental noise had started to increase. As the general consumption of alcohol rose, thoughts began to push their way past her defenses and she could feel her head begin to throb.

Sookie's problem wasn't so much with the nastiness of most folks' thoughts; she had pretty much gotten used to that over the years. She could usually muster enough energy to shut them out, or at least mute them enough to get through the day. It was the mental loudmouths – the ones she called broadcasters. Some folks' thoughts were just so loud that she really couldn't do much but endure them, and her best efforts to block the noise didn't do much more than tone them down a bit. She never understood why some thoughts were louder than others, but working at Sam's had given her plenty of experience. It was there that she had discovered that alcohol not only freed people's inhibitions, but it made the broadcasters harder to squelch than usual. She thought about Josh – usually he was pretty quiet, but after he'd had too much to drink he turned into a broadcaster. The night of her fugue he had been particularly unbearable, and it hadn't helped that she had been so tired to begin with.

The alcohol was flowing pretty freely in the Fangtasia lot. Patrons coming out of the bar were rather well-oiled as well, and while she waited for her vampire, the mental volume started gradually to ramp up.

Sookie tried to concentrate on Bill, but she wasn't able to connect with him over all the activity. She forced herself to relax and slow her breathing, trying to ignore everything but the movement of air in and out of her lungs.

The noise in her head increased, Sookie's stomach began to churn, and she felt nausea start to creep up on her. The lights from the bar and the parking lot were making her hurt and she closed her eyes, unbuckling her seatbelt and turning away from the passenger-side window and toward the darkness.

_This was a mistake. I should have stayed home and trusted that Bill was capable of taking care of himself. Even if something does happen, I'd be useless to him right now..._

There was a sudden surge of pain as two rowdy couples walked past Bill's car and toward the line at the door, and Sookie gasped, pulling her feet up onto the seat as the noise increased.

_Oh, geeze, this is sure getting old..._

Sookie turned sideways in the seat, her back against the door and her arms wrapped around her knees. She clenched her teeth, rested her head on her knees, and concentrated on her breathing for several minutes trying to keep the pain from getting any worse. She kept her eyes closed tightly to keep out the glare of the lights but, even so, tears began to seep from beneath her lashes. Notwithstanding her best efforts, her barriers came crashing down and she cried out in pain.

...

Bill and Eric were crossing the parking lot when they heard Sookie. Bill rushed to the car. Pulling open the door, he caught Sookie as she fell, turning her and repositioning her in the passenger seat. "Sookie?"

Eric arrived just behind Bill and leaned over him as he squatted next to Sookie, her face in his hands. He was taken aback by her appearance. She was conscious, but just barely. Her eyes appeared sunken and had dark circles beneath them. Her skin was ashen and clammy, and there was a sickly undertone to it. Her breathing was labored; when she opened her eyes and spoke Bill's name it came out in a hoarse whisper.

"I see what you mean."

Bill glanced up at Eric, then returned his attention to Sookie, buckling her in and shutting the door. "I have to get her out of here, Eric, away from all these people."

Eric bit into a finger and squeezed the blood into the sample vial. Capping it, he dropped the bloody container into the bag and shoved it into the pocket of Bills shirt. "I still don't feel anything from her other than a headache. A damaged telepath is no good to me. You'd better get her to Dr. Ludwig."

"I plan to. Thank you, Eric."

Eric grunted. "It's just a cease-fire, Compton."

As Bill opened the driver's door, he glanced over the roof. "Works for me."

Eric mulled over his conversation with Bill and the events of the evening as he watched the BMW pull out of the lot and speed away from Fangtasia.

...

Dr. Ludwig answered the banging on her door and was nearly knocked over by the vampire pushing his way in, carrying an exhausted Sookie in his arms.

"What the hell happened?" She turned away from the door and bellowed. "Joey! Get your ass out here."

Joey came running from the back of the house where Dr. Ludwig's small lab was located. "Is this her?"

"Close the door, Joe. You. Compton. Follow me and bring her with you."

With Sookie still in his arms, Bill followed Dr. Ludwig down a hallway into a small, sparsely furnished bedroom, where she directed him to put Sookie on the low bed. Joseph tagged along behind.

"I keep this room for patients. Tell me what happened." She pulled a stethoscope from her pocket and began to examine Sookie.

Bill withdrew the plastic bag from his shirt pocket. "I went to get a blood sample from Eric." Joey reached out and took it from Bill's hand and left. "It was Sookie's day off. She was worried and wanted to come along."

"Did she have a run-in with Northman?"

"No. She waited in the car. But the bar was crowded and there were a number of people waiting in the parking lot to get in. There were just too many minds – she couldn't keep her defenses up."

"Has this happened before?"

"Just once, but it was worse last time."

"Shit. What did you do that time?"

"Nothing. I didn't know what to do. I just stayed with her and kept her away from people until she recovered."

Dr. Ludwig finished with Sookie and then pulled Bill out into the hall, speaking to him quietly. "Right now I don't have any way to help her. So tell me the details. I want to know what happened last time, what you did, and why."

Bill ran his hand through his hair. "She'd had a hard day, the bar was almost empty, and one of the customers had been drinking. I was in back with her employer, and the drunk manhandled her. She just was overwhelmed. She was in some kind of fugue. Her body was there, but her mind had just shut down."

"So what did you do?"

"I took her home – rather to my home. I just didn't want her to be alone. She looked so fragile. I'd only seen her like that once before."

"This happened before?"

"Sort of. Her grandmother was murdered, and she discovered the body. It was horrible; very violent. I felt her from my house and, when I got to her, she didn't recognize me at first. Eventually touching got through to her. So, I tried that after the episode at the bar."

"Tell me exactly."

"Well, I fixed her a place outside behind the house..."

"Why outside?"

When Adele – that's her grandmother – died, Sookie had to get out of the house. I don't know if she just got claustrophobic suddenly, or if it was because the body was still in the kitchen, or all the people going through the house... Whatever the reason, she had to get outside to get some air. So I thought she might need that again."

Dr. Ludwig nodded. She could see that the episode had disturbed him. He still wore an expression of concern as he told her the story, and he probably wasn't even aware of it.

"I got her out back, got us both disrobed, and just sat holding her, rubbing her skin. I thought the contact might get through to her. She wasn't responding to anything else. She didn't seem to see anything. I didn't know if she could even hear me. She didn't speak. It took some hours, but she gradually came back to herself."

"Anything else?"

Bill paused. "We had sex afterward."

"Who initiated it?"

"Sookie did. Does that matter?"

"At this point, I don't know what is important and what isn't. It could be very important. She did say that her pain eased with sexual activity, but we don't know exactly why. You're instincts were good ones. You probably gave her exactly what she needed last time, so I want you to do it again."

She went back into the room with Bill. The light switch was equipped with a dimmer, and she turned it down low. She whispered so as not to wake Sookie, who had fallen asleep shortly after Bill had put her on the bed.

"This room is light-tight and you can stay as long as you need to. She's obviously in pain, and we already know pain meds won't help her worth a damn. She's photophobic and phonophobic – which is a fancy way of saying that light and noise make her hurt worse. The room is soundproof, so that will help keep the noise down. That door leads to a bathroom when she needs it. It's light-tight and soundproof as well. You can lock the door to this room from the inside. That phone is an intercom that goes directly to me. It's a hard line and not connected to anything outside, so it's private. Use it if you need me."

"Where will you be?"

"I'm going back to the lab with Joe to get going on that other blood sample you brought." She started to leave, then turned to scowl at him with her hand on the doorknob. "You're damned lucky I like you, vampire. Otherwise, you'd be paying me dearly for the aggravation you're causing me." She left in a snit, pulling the door closed behind her.

Bill locked the door then turned to Sookie, removing her clothing, folding it neatly and placing it on the single chair. He lifted her easily, pulling back the covers and tucking her in. He undressed himself, adding his clothes to Sookie's on the chair, then turned off the light and slipped into bed beside her. Bill turned her so that she rested on his shoulder. Wrapping his arms around her, he began to stroke her skin until sunrise when he fell asleep with her in his arms.

...

Dr. Ludwig shuffled into the lab where Joe was busy with Eric's blood. She sat down and rubbed at a knot in her neck, cursing the tall vampire under her breath for the kink she had gotten while looking up at him.

"Any luck, Joey?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry Maggie. I didn't hear you come in." He pushed up his goggles and removed his gloves, then walked over to where she was sitting and began massaging her neck.

"Oh, thanks, Joe. I really need that."

"Hey, can't have my favorite sister-in-law all knotted up."

"Favorite, huh? I'm your only sister-in-law, you idiot."

"Ergo, my de facto favorite." After a moment, he spoke again. "I gather he's the vampire, and she's the telepath."

"Yep. She went with him to collect that sample and couldn't keep her mind buttressed. Compton say's it's happened before, but much it was much worse last time."

"That's a good thing, isn't it? It's better this time?"

Not really. The last time she'd had a full day of work, was tired, and somebody actually assaulted her. This time she was almost as bad from just sitting in a car after a full day of rest. I wouldn't say that was better."

"He's not quite what I expected for a vampire. He seems almost...mild."

Dr. Ludwig snorted. "Don't let his manner fool you, Joey. He's a vamp all the same, and he's probably been killing people for years. Now with this venom thing, he's even more dangerous."

"But still, I've never seen a vampire show the least bit of concern for a human, especially not like this one did tonight." He was silent for a few moments as he finished working the spasm from her neck. "You know, Mags, this may not be the end of the changes in these two."

"Oh hell, that wouldn't surprise me one damned bit. Anything to aggravate me. Sometimes I think God pulls this shit on me just for His own amusement."


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Sookie felt better than she had in days. She'd had a bit of sleep that actually refreshed her. She had absolutely no noise in her head, she didn't hurt, her stomach had settled down, and she was completely comfortable. As she took a deep breath in the dark, her nostrils filled with the wonderful odor of her vampire and she realized that she had fallen asleep with Bill. She knew she was in bed with him, but except for that she wasn't sure where she was. Wherever she was, the space felt small and it was completely dark. There was not a bit of light anywhere, and she got that disoriented feeling one gets in absolute blackness.

_I wonder if I'm in Bill's resting place?_

She reached above her head carefully, but didn't feel any obstruction. Besides, she was on a mattress, in a bed with clean sheets, and she knew that Bill didn't have those things in his space beneath the house. She sat up gingerly and swung her feet off the bed, only to meet the floor much too soon.

_This bed is really low..._

She stood up slowly, reaching out for balance, and groped her way in the darkness until she found a wall. She followed it until she met another where they came together to form a corner, and continued her blind explorations. Her fingers encountered the wooden molding of a door jamb, and she followed it into another room, stepping carefully so as not to stumble.

_I wish I had Bill's vision for this..._

There was no carpet on the floor, and beneath her bare feet it felt like linoleum. It was smooth and without the grouted seams of tile. It was too cold to be hardwood. As she slid her foot through the invisible doorway, she noted that there were no breaks across the threshold; the linoleum continued without interruption beneath her feet.

Her fingers found a low counter, and she ran her hands across it until she felt the cold smoothness of porcelain and the hard edges of taps.

_Oh thank God...a bathroom. _

She now had some idea of what kind of space she was in, so with more confidence she reached out until she found the door, then quietly pulled it shut so not to wake Bill. She ran her hands along the sides of the jamb and quickly found a switch on the wall and flipped it on.

It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the light after its total absence, and she squinted hard until she could stand the brightness. She found herself by the counter, and looked over the sink into the mirror.

_Geeze, Sookie. You look horrible. Good thing Bill's asleep or you'd scare him right into the true death..._

She still had circles beneath her eyes, and her hair was horrid beyond description; but her color was better and she actually looked rested. She used the toilet and washed her hands at the sink, then quickly washed her face. There were clean towels and wash cloths stacked in a corner of the Formica counter, and she gave herself a quick sponge bath to clear away the remains of the clammy sweat that had overcome her at Fangtasia. When she had finished, she rinsed out her mouth as best she could, finger-combed her hair, and then took a minute to look around the bathroom. Though nothing in the room was new, everything was immaculately clean. Even the old fixtures on the toilet and sink gleamed. The room seemed odd, and it took a moment for her to realize why. She suddenly noticed that everything seemed just a bit too low; from the placement of the doorknob and the light switch to the height of the counter and the toilet. Then the pieces fell into place.

_This is Dr. Ludwig's place. Bill must have brought me here for help._

Sookie turned off the light and waited several minutes for the bright afterimages to fade, thinking to herself that Bill had done it again. He had taken care of her when she was hurting.

_I don't think I'll ever get used to this._

Except for her grandmother, no one had cared for her like Bill. Not even her parents. It was more than love; her parents had loved her. Her brother loved her. But just like Gran, Bill had a knack for the practical. He seemed to know what she needed, and then just took care of it. It had been the same with Gran. Gran just took care of things. No matter how much work, inconvenience, or effort, it was never a bother to her; it was an expression of love. And Bill was like that.

Standing in the dark bathroom, Sookie had time to ponder. She wondered if the trait was innate in Bill, or something he had learned from the times he'd been born in. He had been around so long and had experienced so much she couldn't even imagine. She couldn't get enough of listening to him when he told her of other times and places. She wanted to know everything. It wasn't just the things he'd done and seen that intrigued her; she was fascinated by Bill himself. The novelty of not being able to hear his thoughts was appealing. She'd had to learn to be patient while he decided what, when, and how much of himself to reveal to her. She'd even had to learn how to ask the most simple of questions, something she'd never had to do before because, with everyone else, the information was right there in her head, whether she wanted it or not. It was ironic that she was learning to be more whole as a human from a dead man who no longer was.

When she'd waited long enough for the spots before her eyes to disappear, Sookie quietly opened the door of the bathroom and carefully retraced her steps back to the bed. She slipped into bed softly, not wanting to wake Bill, but it was a wasted effort. Before she had had a chance to settle herself, she found herself enfolded in Bill's strong arms as he planted kisses on her mouth.

Sookie was elated. She wrapped her arms around him and returned his kisses enthusiastically, pushing him onto his back and positioning herself atop him to do the job properly. She couldn't get enough of his lips, and she spent an inordinate amount of time focused on them before prompting him to open his mouth and extend his fangs for her. She finally had to stop to take a breath, and she collapsed on him.

Bill's fingers danced lightly across the bare skin of her shoulders for a moment as they rested together in silence, and then he spoke to her. "I see you found the bathroom, Miss Stackhouse."

"Yeah, I did. Just in time, too." She propped herself on her elbows and ran her fingers over his face, smiling in the darkness.

Bill traced her lips with his fingers. "It's nice to see you smile again, Sookie." He watched as her grin got even wider.

"I wish I could see you, Bill. It's so dark in here, I had to feel my way to the bathroom."

"Shall I turn on the light?"

"No. I like this, too. I get to focus on other stuff." She inhaled deeply. "Like how wonderful you smell." She ran her hands over his chest. "The way you feel." She kissed him again, playing with his fangs as she did so. "And the way you taste." Sookie shifted to lie next to Bill, wrapping an arm and leg around him resting her head on his shoulder. "We're at Dr. Ludwig's, aren't we?"

"We are. How did you know?"

"The bathroom. The bed. Everything is so short."

"You weren't doing well, Sookie. I had to get you some help."

"I'm sorry, Bill. I guess tagging along wasn't such a good idea."

"Well, it wasn't entirely a failure. Eric took one look at you in the parking lot and handed over a blood sample. I'm not sure we would have gotten it, otherwise." Bill played with her hair absently.

"Did he give you any trouble?"

"No. It went pretty much as I expected. He can't really take me before the magister without compromising his position as sheriff, and he's still wondering what happened that night and how he can use it. We are tolerating each other temporarily."

"That's good."

"There were some odd things, though, Sookie. He couldn't feel your pain except to note that you had a headache. And he didn't know where you were. He assumed you were in Bon Temps."

"What's that mean, Bill?"

"Well, either my connection to you is much stronger than his, or there's something wrong with his connection to you. I think it may be a bit of both. The night of our fight he claimed that he knew about wanting you to break his bond through the blood. He said it was almost like reading you mind. But after tonight, I think he was lying."

"Like, how could he read my mind if he couldn't even tell I was in his parking lot?"

"Exactly."

"I still hate what he did to me, but maybe it's not as bad as I thought. Maybe it's not working like he thought it would."

Although he didn't comment, Sookie could feel Bill's anger over what Eric had done to her. She didn't want to squander their time together bothering about Eric, especially since she was feeling so good. Sookie scooted up on one elbow and felt for his face, caressing his cheek with her hand and then running a finger across his fangs. "Bill, forget about Eric. Any time we waste thinking about him gives him power over us, and I won't give him the satisfaction. All I want is to be with you."

"All right."

Sookie settled back down with her head on Bill's shoulder and he wrapped his arm around her, holding her close and inhaling deeply. She smelled wonderful, and he turned his head closer.

Even though she couldn't see a thing in the light-proof room, Sookie closed her eyes so she could concentrate and softly began to run her hand across Bill's chest. He felt so different. His skin wasn't exactly cold, but it wasn't warm, either. He felt a bit on the cool side, cooler than any non-vampire she had ever touched. If she'd had to guess, she would say his body temperature was somewhere around 10 degrees cooler than hers. Her normal temperature was a little bit higher than average – right at 99 degrees – and she enjoyed the contrast.

Bill's skin was different for other reasons, too. Like his other senses, it was exquisitely sensitive; and though he healed almost immediately, it was pretty tough to breach his skin in the first place. The night of his homecoming she'd had to bite him awfully hard to break the skin to feed from him. It was no wonder he had lost control that night. Sookie had fed from him before, but always with Bill opening his flesh for her. He had ached for her to feed from him through her own volition, but had never really expected it. Her ability to feed from him without his help was completely unforeseen, as was his reaction. Sookie's stomach got butterflies when she remembered that night. She hadn't just surprised Bill; she had done a pretty good job of surprising herself, as well.

For a moment Sookie wished that her Gran was still alive. She would have liked to have been able to discuss all of this with her. Gran had been an amazing woman. She'd had a knack for getting to the pith of the matter, and Sookie could always go to her without fear of judgment. Mrs. Stackhouse also was careful to make sure that whatever decision Sookie came to, it was hers alone. Although Gran gave advice when asked, she never assumed there was only one answer to a dilemma. She wondered what Gran would have made of her feeding from Bill. Sookie never would have imagined herself doing such a thing. It was all so strange. She was vaguely repelled by the idea of ingesting blood, but somehow taking Bill's blood was a whole other matter.

There was just something about feeding from Bill that felt right. She didn't understand it, but she recognized it. The first time she had fed from him it had been an unwilling necessity. Then in Dallas, after the bombing, she acquiesced to Bill's request because he was worried about her. But recently she had begun to actually enjoy it, and sometimes even to crave it. Bill's blood tasted so good to her that she was beginning to understand not just his need for human blood, but his desire for it as well. It was somehow...erotic.

Sookie put aside her ruminations about feeding from Bill and returned her attention to the feel of the vampire beneath her fingers. Beneath that cool, smooth skin she could feel hard, well-defined muscles and she was thoroughly enjoying herself. Most of the folks she knew agreed that Bill was easy on the eyes, but to her he was more than that. As far as she was concerned, Bill was gorgeous; no doubt about it. His dark good looks were exactly to her taste, and she enjoyed looking at him. But here, in this room without light, she didn't have that opportunity and she found it a pleasure to explore him now solely by touch. She ran her fingers around the contours of his chest muscles, and then traced the well-delineated muscles of his abdomen. As her hand slowly moved down his body, she could feel Bill's pleasure through their connection.

Sookie smiled to herself in the dark, unable to quash the playful desire to tease him. She slowly ran her fingers down his body, following the trail of hair down his belly that led like a path to the thatch that framed his penis. She lightly traced the curling wreath of hair, carefully avoiding the rest of his anatomy and taunting him with the promise of a touch that had yet to reach its destination.

Bill was more content that he had been in weeks. For the first time since returning from Dallas, Sookie was herself again and for the moment he could put aside his worry. He could feel her – she felt well and rested, and the mischievous, playful side of her personality again had come to the fore. She hadn't been so eager to torment him in quite a while, especially not in bed, and apparently she was determined to make up for recently missed opportunities. She was getting rather good at it. She was learning exactly how far she could tease him before he lost control completely, and took an almost perverse pleasure in bringing him just to the brink, then relenting and beginning again. Had she been able to see in the dark, Sookie would have seen a smile begin to break on Bill's face as he relaxed and gave himself up to her amusement.

Sookie thought Bill was just a bit too staid for his own good, in all probability due both to his nature and his upbringing. From stories he had shared with her, she knew that his previous existence, both as human and vampire, had been grim and harsh. The only bright spot had been his marriage and children, but even that had been cut short; first by war, and later by his turning and the loss of his wife and children. Bill had gradually opened up to Sookie, revealing bits of his history to her; a reminiscence here, a sentence there – sometimes just a flicker of emotion across his eyes. She had pieced the bits together to help her form a picture of his character. He'd had so little joy in his existence that Sookie couldn't help but feel for him.

When Sookie met Bill and no longer had to spend all her energy keeping her barriers up, she had been able to be herself for the first time in her life. Over time, she discovered in herself a naturally playful nature which had been hidden on the other side of those barriers, and it expressed itself in a irresistible urge to tease Bill. He didn't really like teasing, per se, but allowed it from Sookie. He even was beginning to loosen up and enjoy it a bit, and that made her happy.

Sookie could feel Bill's amusement through their shared connection, and felt his body relax. She got up and sat on Bill's thighs, leaning forward to kiss him lightly, then softly running her hair down the skin of his chest. She went back to his lips with another kiss, lingering just a bit longer, then returned to teasing him. She lowered herself just enough to brush her nipples against him as she moved down his body, and she could feel his skin turn to gooseflesh in response.

She kissed her way down his body carefully so as not to miss any part of his torso. When she reached his penis, he was already hard, and she smiled. It had been a while since she had felt good enough to seduce him, and she was certainly going to take advantage of the present opportunity. Not that Bill really needed seducing – but she loved to wind him up until he lost control.

Sookie ran her lips softly over his penis, from the tip to the root, exhaling her warm breath on him at the same time. She was rewarded by a small shiver from Bill, so she repeated herself, this time in the opposite direction. He smelled so good that Sookie had a difficult time keeping her movements slow and deliberate. When she reached the tip of his penis, she wrapped her warm lips around it, eliciting a moan from her vampire.

Sookie had never pleasured Bill in this way before. It was completely new to her and she wasn't sure how to proceed, so she followed her instincts. She explored him with her tongue, delicately, learning the shape of him in minute detail, and wanted more. She used her lips to push back his foreskin and ran her tongue around the edges. She could feel his phallus swell and harden further, and it excited her, so she took more of his length into her mouth and began to suck, gently at first, and then with growing enthusiasm. She slid her hands beneath his buttocks and gripped him tightly as she began to coax him into orgasm.

Bill clutched the sheets beneath him and watched Sookie as she serviced him. The sight of her performing fellatio on him for the first time was hypnotic, and he couldn't take his eyes from her. A growl began to build within his chest as he became more and more aroused by her actions and her soft moans. He could feel her hunger; it matched his. The feather-like touch of her hair as it brushed against his skin and the heat of Sookie's mouth around him made it impossible for him to control his lust, and he could hold back no longer. Tangling his fingers in her hair, he pulled her tightly to him and released himself into her mouth, then pulled her away and flipped her onto her back, plunging his penis into her as she gasped for breath and wrapped her thighs around him, gripping him tightly. Bill pumped his hips into hers as he climaxed again. As Sookie's own orgasm overwhelmed her, he sank his fangs into her soft flesh and fed.

...

"Lafayette..." Sam leaned across the pass, peering into the kitchen.

"What you need, Sam?" Lafayette didn't take his eyes from the pot he was stirring.

"Y'all got a free burner on the stove, and some counter space back there?"

Lafayette looked up. "What? What kinda question is that? This is a damned kitchen, Sam. Where hell else would there be a burner and counter space?"

Sam made a face ripe with exasperation. "I know you _have_ them, Lafayette. I need to know if there's a burner and a spot on the prep counter that y'all aren't using at the moment."

Lafayette put his hand on his hip and looked at him with suspicion. "Yeah, I do. Why? What y'all got up your sleeve, Sam?"

"Apparently, you have an admirer."

"Well, do tell." Waving his spoon, Lafayette did his best swish up to the pass, leaned on his elbows, and batted his mascara-enhanced lashes. "My horoscope said the stars were good for love..."

"Relax, Lafayette." Sam chuckled. "Your cheeseburger made such an impression on Brother Bede yesterday that he wanted to come down and cook lunch for everybody. His way of saying thank you, he said."

"Brother who? You mean that cracker who drinks wine with his burger and can't fold a map?" He rolled his eyes. "Lord, he ain't even my type."

Sam pointed a finger at him in warning. "He'll be here in a minute. Y'all be nice."

"Sam, when am I ever not nice?" He turned on his heel and went back to stir his chili.

...

Brother Bede arrived carrying several grocery bags, with a smile on his face so wide it was a wonder he could get it through the door. Sam looked up as he came in and hurried to help him with his burden. "Brother Bede, did y'all buy out the store?"

"Mr. Merlotte! Hello my friend! No, no, no...but once I got into the market I just couldn't help myself. I've forgotten how different shopping is here in the States, you see. It's been so long. Quite an adventure...yes, yes, yes..."

Sam lifted his eyebrows. "Y'all got excited buying groceries? You're a cheap date, Brother. And I told you, call me Sam."

Brother Bede chuckled. "Forgive me, Sam. I've gotten used to shopping at the _mercati di quartiere _– the neighborhood markets – and I'm not use to American supermarkets any more. Oh my, my...as I told Mr. Compton, it's like a whole new world has opened up for me... Do you like shrimp, Sam? I've discovered that Louisiana has the most marvelous shrimp...I thought I'd make you all _scampi imperiali San Giusto..._"

The expression on his face was one of pure joy, and Sam was entertained by his enthusiasm over the mundane chore of grocery shopping and pleasantly anticipating the proposed dish. Sam led Brother Bede into the kitchen and introduced him to Lafayette. "Brother Bede, this here's Lafayette. He's the one who made your burger the other day.

The monk put his bags down and approached Lafayette with his arms wide. Lafayette was effectively cornered, his only avenue of escape hampered by the hot commercial stove, and he eyed him warily as Brother Bede smiled and gave him a great bear hug, kissing him on each cheek in typical Italian manner. "Lafayette! Oh my, my...I haven't words to tell you how much I enjoyed the cheeseburger you made! It's been just years since I had a real, American cheeseburger. The Italians try, they really do, but it's just not the same...oh my. It was lovely, just lovely! It brought back such memories..."

Lafayette's face was unreadable. "Uh huh..." he deadpanned. "Y'all are gettin' mighty worked up over a burger. Don't get out much, do ya?"

Brother Bede laughed aloud. "No, no my friend, I certainly do not. Most of my time is divided between my religious duties at the abbey and my work in the archives. Neither is very conducive to a social life."

Lafayette abruptly decided that he liked this strange fellow, and waved his spatula at him for emphasis while speaking. "Well, y'all better watch that kissin' folk or you's gonna have more social life than you can handle..."

...

"Sookie, Sookie, wake up Sweetheart." Bill brushed the hair from Sookie's eyes.

"Huh? What time is it?"

"Just after sunset. We should get going."

"Oh geeze, Bill. I hate to get up. This is the first time since Dallas that I've felt good."

"Yes, I know. But I've been awake for a while now listening to your stomach rumble. You need to eat."

Sookie snuggled closer to Bill and held him tighter. "Mmm...I'd give up eating for good to spend forever with you like this..." She felt Bill tense in her arms. "Bill, what's wrong?"

"Don't ask me to turn you, Sookie."

"Turn me? Who's talking about turning me?"

"You are...aren't you?"

"Me? No...I'd love to spend forever with you, Bill, but I really don't want to be a vampire. It's just a manner of speaking."

"Yes, well, the last time I thought you were using a figure of speech you shoved me into the sofa and screamed at me. As I recall, you were quite angry. You'll understand my misinterpretation, Miss Stackhouse."

Sookie chuckled. "I promise, Bill. If I ever decide I want you to turn me, I'll ask you – very, very clearly. OK?"

"All right." Bill kissed her forehead and got out of the bed, turning on the lights at their lowest setting to spare Sookie's eyes, and began to dress.

...

Dr. Ludwig was scowling over a slide in her microscope and looked up when Bill and Sookie came in. She did a careful but rapid assessment of Sookie's appearance and was encouraged by what she saw. "Well, you look a damned sight better than you did when you got here. How do you feel?"

Sookie smiled at her as she responded. "I feel fine. I haven't felt this good in weeks."

"No headache? Nausea?"

"Nope, not a bit. I don't know what you did, but whatever it was, it worked."

Dr. Ludwig snorted in derision. "Didn't do a damned thing except lock you in a soundproof, light -tight room with this asshole." She indicated Bill with a wave of her hand. "Thank him."

Bill interrupted, asking, "Did you find anything?"

The small woman turned her attention to the vampire, saying, "Let's go into my study and talk. I've been bending over these instruments so long I've got a crick in my neck. If I'm gonna talk, I want to be comfortable."

Bill and Sookie followed her to the study and, after settling themselves in, Dr. Ludwig looked them over for a moment before beginning.

"I don't know what the hell is going on with you two, but it's the strangest, most fucked-up mess I've ever seen. If I'd known what I was getting myself into, I'd have kicked your ass out the first time you showed up, vampire."

"But do you know why Sookie is ill?"

"Nope. Neither Joey nor I can figure it out, but we haven't given up yet. It would help if we had an old blood sample for comparison." She looked at Sookie. "Any chance you had blood sample or biopsy taken at a hospital or doctor's office, or is that asking too much?"

"No, I haven't. I've never really been sick before, not even as a kid."

"It figures. Disgustingly healthy."

Bill was silent for a moment, then asked, "Does it have to be a fresh sample? Can it be dried?"

Dr. Ludwig turned to him. "Fresh or properly preserved would be better, but anything would help at this point."

Sookie reached for Bill's hand. "What are you thinking of, Bill?"

"Your clothes. From the night you were attacked. You still have them."

"Yeah, but I don't know what kind of shape they're in."

The healer interrupted. "Fill me in. What attack? What clothes?"

Sookie responded. "I got beat up really bad, right after I met Bill. It was months ago. Gran was still alive then, and I didn't want her to get upset, so I buried my bloody clothes in the yard in a plastic bag so she wouldn't see them. They're still there."

"Fine. Get 'em to me. Better than nothing."

"Dr. Ludwig, do y'all have any idea what's happening to me? It's getting to the point I can hardly make it through the day. You said it was a mess. What's that mean?"

Dr. Ludwig didn't answer right away. She hated to dole out bits and pieces of information or half-finished ideas, but she could see the nervous strain in Sookie's face and decided to give them both the little information she did have. "Well, I'll tell you what I think is going on. I don't have all the facts yet, and there is still a lot of work for Joe and me to do. So none of this is definite yet. Understand?"

Sookie nodded, and Bill could feel her anxiety.

"I don't have much. But from the tests that Joey and I have done so far, we're pretty sure that whatever is affecting you caused the changes in your vampire here."

Sookie's eyes widened in surprise and her grip on Bill's hand tightened.

Bill said, "What? How...?"

"Something is going on in your system, Ms. Stackhouse. We're pretty sure feeding on you caused the metamorphosis in Compton, particularly the venom." She turned to Bill. "Tell me, have you had any success in learning to bite without depositing venom into the wound?"

Bill and Sookie looked at each other, then Bill answered. "Some. Sookie's had some ideas we've been trying. Why?"

"'Cause it's the nastiest, most toxic damned stuff I've ever seen. Her instincts were right on the money. If you tried to feed on a human they'd be dead before they knew what hit 'em. How's the Viking's wound?"

"I saw him last night when I got the blood sample from him. The wound's still there. It hasn't healed yet."

"Figures."

"But what about Sookie? Is she in danger?"

"Nope. As far as we can tell, she's immune. I'd bet my last nickel she's the only creature on the planet who is."

Sookie shook herself, trying to take in what the healer was saying. "How can that be?"

"Like I said, you're the source of the changes in the dead man here. Makes perfect sense. Something in you was the catalyst. You're part of the process, so you're immune."

Bill straightened in his chair. "Is there anything else you can tell us, doctor?"

"Well, you each said that the other one has a stronger odor. That's not happening. What is going on is that you apparently are more receptive, more sensitive to the pheromones you're each putting out. It seems to be specific to the two of you... which is why you get so damned horny anytime you get close to each other. There's no danger, though, so you might as well enjoy yourselves. Hell, if you could bottle it you'd make a killing."

Dr. Ludwig levered herself out of her chair. "Now the two of you get the hell out. Joe will be back later and I want to take a nap before he gets here. And get me those clothes right away."


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Bill opened the door to his house and held it open for Sookie, closing it behind him as he followed her inside and into the living room. It had been a silent drive back to Bon Temps. Sookie hadn't said a word since leaving Dr. Ludwig's place and Bill could feel how upset she was. He walked up behind Sookie to where she stood in the middle of the room, took her by the shoulders and turned her to face him, then wrapped his arms around her tightly as she broke down with a wail that dissolved into gut-wrenching sobs.

"Sookie, Sookie...it's OK, Sweetheart. It's OK. Don't cry." He held her close for several minutes until the worst of her tears had subsided, then led her to the sofa and sat her down. Sitting on the table facing her, he brushed the hair from her face and kissed her forehead.

"Oh, God...Bill I'm so sorry. I didn't know...I swear before Jesus I didn't know..."

"Sookie, it's all right. You couldn't possibly have known. There's nothing to be sorry about."

"But I did this to you! You never wanted to be a vampire, and I made it worse...I'm sorry, Bill, I'm sorry...oh God..." Sookie buried her face in her hands before Bill, too ashamed to look at him.

"Sookie, I'm fine. Really. It just takes a little time to get used to it, that's all. I'm adjusting. It'll be just fine. So blow your nose and don't cry. It breaks my heart to see you cry, Sweetheart."

Sookie took the handkerchief Bill offered. "You heard Dr. Ludwig – if you try to feed you'll kill somebody. What's going to happen to you, Bill? I know you try, but you can't live on nothing but TruBlood. And if anything happens to me..."

"Hush, Sookie. I told you, I'll be fine. We're making progress. I'm learning, remember? And you're helping me. I'll be able to control the venom in no time at all. You'll see. I couldn't begin to do this without you."

"But you wouldn't have to do at all if I hadn't changed you in the first place!"

Bill smoothed her hair and smiled at her. "But it's not all bad, remember? You told me that. I'd have met the true death at Eric's hands that night, but I didn't. And I'm no longer under his thumb. You have no idea how liberating that is. I should thank you, Sookie. For the first time since being turned I've regained some dignity. I don't blame you, Love, so don't blame yourself. OK?"

Sookie looked up at him, incredulous. "You really mean this, don't you?"

Bill laughed aloud. "Yes. Absolutely. You have to understand..." Bill got up off the table and sat next to Sookie on the sofa, put his arm around her and pulled her to him. He paused, gathering his thoughts before beginning.

"I was a soldier for the South during the war, Sookie. Which is kind of ironic, I guess. I told you my father had slaves, but I never did. I couldn't. I never really tried to figure out the reasons, but somehow the idea of 'owning' another human being wasn't something I was comfortable with. So, I just never did."

"But you did fight for the South, Bill."

"Well, there were lots of reasons for that, but for me, protecting slavery wasn't one of them. There was a kind of madness in people back then. They were all caught up in the 'glorious cause' and were all fighting for something different. I think only those who actually owned slaves themselves were fighting for slavery. The way the plantation system was set up, there really was no way for the large landholders to protect their financial viability without it. I think a lot of it was just because most folks didn't want anybody telling them what they could and couldn't do. In the end, most of us were fighting because if we didn't our families would suffer. But it didn't matter, I guess. By the end of the war they were suffering in spite of our efforts. It was useless. We fought for our families and our families were destroyed anyway. So many..." Bill's voice dropped as the memories of that time resurfaced.

"But your family survived, and then Lorena..." She paused, unsure of how to continue.

"Yes. Lorena. She murdered me, and I lost my family. We survived the horrors of the war, and still I lost them. It would have been kinder had I died in battle. They were so close, but so unreachable. And to add to the irony, a man who couldn't bring myself to own slaves...I was myself enslaved. From the day she turned me I was a thrall to all vampires above me, particularly Lorena." He closed his eyes, remembering, and Sookie could see pain flicker across his face. She squeezed his hand in encouragement, and Bill continued.

"So, this venom...it gives me a freedom I haven't had since being turned, Sookie. I'm young for a vampire, but nevertheless I can now hold my own against the others, and because of that I'm no longer afraid. You have no idea how wonderfully liberating that is after nearly 200 years."

"I can't believe you don't blame me, Bill. I still remember how devastated you were that night we found out."

"Well, that was then, and I've learned the advantages since."

Sookie was silent for a moment, mulling over Bill's words. Then she continued. "You know, when you went to Fangtasia to get the blood from Eric, you did feel different. I could feel your confidence – it was so strong." Sookie blushed, and Bill smiled at her. "I have to admit, it made you incredibly hot."

"Like I sad, it's not all bad." Bill's eyes darkened and Sookie could feel her heart begin to pound in her chest at the intensity of his gaze. He pulled her to him and kissed her, and Sookie slid her hands beneath his shirt as she returned his kiss. Just then her stomach rumbled loudly, and Bill broke off his kiss with a laugh. Leering at her, he remarked, "I love your body, Sweetheart, but it's demanding to be fed and I don't think it will wait much longer."

Sookie looked down sheepishly. "Yeah, I am pretty hungry. Besides, I need to keep my strength up to keep up with you. I don't have that vampire endurance you have."

"Oh, I don't know, Miss Stackhouse. You keep up pretty well for a mere human. Why don't you rest while I go get you something to eat? You've been on an emotional roller coaster the last few days, and I don't want it to catch up with you. Besides, you may need your strength later..."

"All right, Bill. That'll give me a chance to shower and change, anyway. I'm feeling pretty grubby, and I still have a mess of snarls in my hair that need to be combed out. So take your time."

Bill got up and reached for his car keys. "Is there anything in particular you'd like, Sookie?"

"No. Surprise me."

He kissed her gently, brushing his lips softly across hers, and left.

...

Bill pulled into the parking lot of Merlotte's. He knew Sam would want to know how Sookie was doing, and it would give him a chance to fill him in while waiting for Sookie's order. It seemed busy, and he wasn't looking forward to dealing with the usual reactions of the customers whenever he walked into the bar, but it was one of those things he had been forced to deal with since the Revelation.

Walking through the door, Bill was surprised at the mood of the place. It was busy, and the atmosphere was one of celebration. He was pleased to find that most of those who did notice his arrival seemed to dismiss him completely, and he received only one or two nasty looks. There was a buzz of conversation throughout the bar and raucous laughter coming from the kitchen.

"Hey, Bill! Come on in. Can I get you an O-neg?" From behind the bar, Sam hollered at him to be heard over the jukebox and the noise of the crowd.

"No thanks, I'm fine." Bill approached and sat down at the bar. "What's going on here, Sam? Some kind of party?"

Sam smiled as he cleared some dirty mugs from the bar and polished the gleaming wood. "It's something, ain't it? I guess it's just a good night." Sam leaned on the bar. "How's Sookie doin'?"

"Better. She had a rough patch when we went to get a blood sample from Eric at Fangtasia, but she got some rest afterward and has been doing rather well since. That's why I came by. She's got her appetite back, and I thought I would pick up something for her and fill you in at the same time."

"I appreciate that, Bill. I'll let everybody know how she is. They've been asking. Any idea what she's in the mood for?"

"She said to surprise her."

Sam went to the pass and hollered, "Lafayette, fix one of those specials for Sookie, to go. Make it a big one." He glanced back at Bill, then added, "And hold the garlic."

Lafayette's voice rang out over the noise of the kitchen. "Gotcha, Sam."

Bill remarked, "Even Lafayette seems in a good mood. It sounds like most of the partying is going on in the kitchen."

"Well, I guess you're the one to thank for that, Bill."

"Me?" Bewildered, Bill looked around the bar at the crowd, then turned back to Sam. "How am I responsible for all this?"

Sam grinned from ear to ear, then turned toward the kitchen and shouted. "Lafayette! Send your friend out front!"

Bill looked at Sam, completely mystified. Then from the back came a familiar figure, and Sam laughed at the look of astonishment on the vampire's face as he stood up from the bar.

"Brother Bede?"

"WILLIAM!" Brother Bede broke into a joyful smile when he saw the vampire. He wiped his hands on his apron as he approached and then embraced Bill in a huge hug, prompting stares from the diners unaccustomed to seeing a vampire treated with such familiarity and merriment.

Bill was dumbfounded. As the monk released him, he said, "What are you doing here, Brother?"

"Oh my, my, William...the Lord has been having a laugh at my expense, I'm afraid. I was 'in the neighborhood,' as they say, so I came to Bon Temps to visit you."

Thoroughly enjoying Bill's befuddlement, Sam interrupted. "He showed up here yesterday looking for you. I wasn't too sure about him at first, but he just kind of fit right in. He's been in the kitchen with Lafayette since this morning, and they've been swapping recipes and telling tall tales all day long. I guess the good mood and the food kinda rubbed off on everybody."

Bill sat back on the barstool, completely at a loss for words, as Lafayette came out with a large bag containing Sookie's order. Addressing the vampire, he said, "Deadman... where in the motherfuckin' world did y'all dig up this escapee from the funny farm?"

Bill looked up at Lafayette and responded, "Rome."

"We ain't gots enough crazy white folk of our own that y'all gotta import 'em from overseas?" Laughing at the look on Bill's face, Lafayette handed him the bag, turned, and sashayed back to the kitchen, singing aloud, and Bill couldn't help but smile and shake his head. He remembered himself with a start and turned back to Brother Bede. "Forgive my lack of manners, Brother. Can I prevail upon you to come to my home and meet Sookie?"

"Ahh! I gather she is the reason you came to Rome?" Bill nodded. "Oh my, my, of course! I must meet her...Sam and Lafayette have told me so much about her...Let me just return Lafayette's apron and gather my things, and I will be right along...yes, yes, yes..." Brother Bede hurried back to the kitchen, leaving Bill at the bar with Sam.

"He's quite a character, Bill."

Bill pulled out his wallet to pay for the food, nodding his head in agreement. "Yes, he is that. A remarkable man."

"Well, you go along. Give Sookie my love, and tell her to come back to work when she's feeling up to it. I don't want her to rush it."

Bill stood up and picked up the bag as Brother Bede emerged from the back and joined him. "I will, Sam." He turned to leave, the monk accompanying him out the door.

...

As Bill drove them back to the house, Brother Bede explained the events that brought him to Louisiana. He shook his head in disbelief. "That's quite a series of coincidences, Brother."

"Oh no, William. Not coincidence. I do not believe in coincidence. No, no. It's providence. I believe I am here for some reason, though I must admit I have no idea at all what that could be. I am no one of any importance, and the Good Lord certainly enjoys keeping me in the dark about His plans. Perhaps I am here to learn something, since really don't know what use I can be to anyone."

"Well, you were of use to me, Brother. I was able to find a healer who is attempting to help Sookie."

"Really? That's quite remarkable..oh my, my, my. Will you be able to break the blood bond?"

"I don't think so. It can be done, but it turns out it's quite dangerous. However, Sookie has been ill, and we are hoping the healer can help her."

"Well, I am quite excited to meet your Sookie, William. Sam and Lafayette had nothing but good things to say about her."

Brother Bede's reference to "your Sookie" brought a smile to Bill's face. He pulled into the drive, prompting an exclamation from his passenger.

"Is this where you live, William?"

"Yes. It was my family home during my human life. I never thought I would be back after I was turned, but I'm happy to be here."

"What a wonderful old place! It's just beautiful...yes, yes."

They got out of the car and walked to the house. "It got pretty rundown over the last century or so. I recently had electricity installed, but it still needs a lot of work."

The monk examined the building as well as he could in the dark, craning his neck to see the upper story, stepping this way and that to see it from various angles. "Yes, but it has good bones, William. A house with good bones can always come back. Oh my, my, what a place..."

Bill led Brother Bede up the steps of the porch and opened the door. "I'm looking forward to introducing you to Sookie..."

Brother Bede reached the door just in time to see a lithe, blonde woman run down the stairs, throw herself into Bill's arms, and kiss him fervently. His first impression of Sookie was a woman obviously in love. The image of her smiling, joyous expression as she flew down the stairs was one that would stay with him for the rest of his life.

To her surprise, Bill cut their kiss short. "Sookie, I have someone for you to meet." He turned, and only then did she see the man behind him in the doorway. "This is Brother Bede, the archivist I met in Rome. Brother, this is Miss Sookie Stackhouse."

Sookie looked at the friar and greeted him. "Hi..."

"Miss Stackhouse!" Brother Bede took her hand in both of his and shook it warmly. "I am so happy to meet you! Yes, yes, yes! Before I forget, Sam, Lafayette, and Arlene wanted me to say hello and tell you that they hope you are feeling better."

Bill added, "...and Sam says you're to come back to work when your ready, but not to rush it. He wants you to take it easy and wait until you're well enough."

Sookie looked from Brother Bede, to Bill, and back again. "How do you know Sam and the others?"

"Oh my, my, my...that's quite a convoluted tale, Miss Stackhouse, quite a convoluted tale."

"Call me Sookie."

Brother Bede turned to Bill and said, "She's quite lovely, William...yes, yes, yes... I can see why you cherish her."

Sookie blushed at the compliment, and Bill smiled and put his arm around her, pulling her close. He then turned to Sookie, saying, '"You should eat before it gets cold, Sweetheart."

Sookie took the bag from Bill and addressed Brother Bede. "Let's go in the living room. It's more comfortable and we can talk there. Did you eat, Brother Bede?"

"Oh my, yes, yes, yes... Lafayette and I were sampling everything in the kitchen all day. But if I could bother someone for a glass of wine?"

Bill excused himself. "Let me. You two get settled and I will be right back." He kissed Sookie briefly and disappeared into the kitchen as Sookie and the monk went into the living room.

Sookie sat on the floor with her back against the sofa and pulled the coffee table close, then pulled the container and plastic tableware from the bag. "Oh wow, this smells good." Hungry after her fast, she opened the container, placed it on the table, and took a forkful. "It's wonderful! I don't recognize this from Sam's menu. What is it?"

"It's scampi. I was going to make lunch for the staff at Merlotte's – Lafayette made me such a wonderful cheeseburger the day before that I just had to do something to show my appreciation – but they liked it so much that Lafayette asked for the recipe and Sam put it on as a special. We were cooking all day...my, my, my. I haven't had such fun in ages! But it doesn't smell quite right...he forgot the garlic..."

"Sam had him omit it. For my benefit, I'm afraid," Bill remarked as he came into the room with glasses and a bottle of wine for Sookie and Brother Bede, and a TruBlood for himself.

"Really? And it still tastes good? Oh my, my...who would have thought. There really is quite a lot garlic in the recipe." The friar paused for a moment, thinking. "You don't like garlic, William?"

Bill smiled as he filled their glasses. "Well, I don't eat, so that's not a problem. But vampires find it irritating." He sat down on the sofa near Sookie, running his fingers up and down her back softly as she ate.

Sookie wiped her mouth with a napkin. "It makes my blood taste horrible, so I don't eat it."

Brother Bede looked at Sookie with a quizzical expression. "I'm sorry... it does what?"

"It makes my blood taste just awful when Bill feeds on me, so I don't eat it any more."

"You said he feeds on you?"

"Well, yeah. I'm his." Sookie looked from the monk to Bill, and back again. "He's a vampire. I thought y'all understood that."

"Oh my, my...forgive me, my dear. Of course I knew, it's just that I never thought about what that meant. William is the first vampire I've ever met. I mean, I understand that vampires must have blood to survive, it just that...that I never actually considered what that entailed. I guess just assumed that vampires drink synthetic blood."

Bill was silent, listening to the exchange between Brother Bede and Sookie and wondering what the friar would think of him now. Bill found himself hoping for his acceptance. It suddenly occurred to him that Brother Bede represented something he hadn't had since he was human – a friend. He had lost many of his friends during the war, and friendships were not a part of the vampire milieu. He hadn't realized just how much he had missed that part of his human life until he had met this strange man in Rome. Brother Bede had approached him as he would any other person, without fear or preconceptions; something no one besides Sookie had done.

Sookie reached back for Bill's hand. "Well, Bill tries, but sometimes the TruBlood just doesn't do it. It's kind of like trying to live on nothing but tofu or rice cakes." She squeezed his hand. "Bill can survive on it, but that's about all you can say about it."

Brother Bede was enthralled by this glimpse of vampire existence. "Really? I had no idea. My, my..." He paused to ponder for a moment, then addressed the vampire seated across from him.

"William, if it's as distasteful as Sookie says, why do you drink it? I understand it's really none of my business, but if you don't mind enlightening me?"

It was a thoughtful question, one Bill had asked himself many times since the Revelation. "I guess it's because I've never quite mastered seeing humans only as prey. It provides sustenance without having to hunt humans."

Although he remained calm, Sookie could feel the emotion running through him, and she thought back to Bill's confession and the child he had first fed upon after his turning.

Brother Bede again was quiet for a moment, then addressed Sookie. "May I ask you, Sookie, why you allow Bill to feed from you? Again, I have no business asking..."

"No, it's OK. It's pretty simple, really. I love him. Bill needs blood to survive, and it's something I can do for him. I can tell when he's hungry, so I just offer."

To the surprise of both Bill and Sookie, Brother Bede's eyes filled with tears. Sookie said, "Are y'all OK?"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded tissue, and wiped his eyes. "Oh my, my...forgive me, my dear. I...I didn't expect to get so emotional. It's just that your explanation was so beautifully simple...really, really...I'm beside myself..."

Bill and Sookie waited several minutes while the monk composed himself.

"You see, my dear Sookie, the danger in my vocation is that by sheer repetition over the years, the Gospels can become ordinary. We get so used to the miraculous that we relegate it to the mundane and it loses its wonder." He stopped to take a sip of wine. "Your explanation of why you do what you do, for love of William, suddenly brought it back. Jesus did what He did because of his love for us." He reached across the table and took her hands in both of his. Very solemnly, he said, "Thank you, Sookie."

Sookie eyed him thoughtfully. His thoughts, though she could hear them, were completely different from anyone else she had ever been around.

Sookie hesitated before responding. "You really mean that, don't you?"

"Well, of course! I told William in the car that perhaps the reason I'm here is to learn something. I can't think of anything better than the reminder you just gave me."

"You know, Bill was right about you."

"In what way, my dear?"

"He told me that he thought y'all were a nut case when he first met you, but that you surprised him. He said there were some deep things in you that kind'a sneak up on a person once they get talking to you."

"Oh my, my, my! A nut case! My brothers at the abbey would certainly agree with you there! But as for the rest...I believe you are completely mistaken. I am a mere clerk, filing away documents and books all day in the archives. I'm pretty much useless for much else, I'm afraid. If the abbot hadn't let me into the order, I don't know what would have become of me."

Sookie smiled and gestured to the now-empty take-out container on the table that had held her dinner. "Well, y'all could've been a great cook. This was good."

"Oh no, Sookie...no, no, no. I learned to cook in the abbey. We all take turns in the kitchen, you know."

"Really?"

"Oh yes. I was just horrible. The abbot, bless his soul, would hear confessions for our community daily before mass. When it was my turn in the kitchen, he would exempt us from doing penance. Fr. John said that eating my cooking was more than enough suffering to atone for nearly anything."

Bill couldn't help but laugh at Brother Bede's statement, delivered with complete solemnity. "If you're cooking was as horrid as you claim, then what happened?"

"Oh my, my, William, I'm afraid it was simply a matter of survival for the abbey. Fr. John gave one of the members of the community the dreadful task of teaching me. I can't imagine what he could have done to earn such a penance." Brother Bede shook his head at the memory.

"He must have been a remarkable teacher, Brother."

"Oh he was, William. He was that indeed!"

Bill, Sookie, and Brother Bede spent the remainder of the night discussing everything from theology to vampire politics to which was the best potato to use for potato salad. They had become comfortable with each other almost at once, the rarest of all circumstances, as if they had been friends all their lives.

It was nearing dawn when Bill stood up and took Sookie by the hand. "Brother Bede, please excuse us. I'll need to go to ground soon, and I'd like to take a walk with Sookie before the sun rises."

"Oh my, my, William, forgive me! I lost all track of time. Perhaps I should leave..."

Sookie interrupted. "Don't be silly. You came with Bill and you don't even have your car. You can stay at my place tonight, and I'll drive you back to Merlotte's in the morning. I'm on tomorrow anyway."

"Sookie, are you sure you're feeling up to it?" Bill asked, concern evident on his face.

"I'm fine, Bill. Besides, I'll go crazy if I have to stay at home and twiddle my thumbs. I need to do something, so I might as well go to work." She looked at Brother Bede. "I have plenty of room. I'll come back for you, OK?"

The monk looked up at Bill. "It seems your Sookie has everything arranged, William."

"It seems so. We'd best let her have her way. I'll wish you a good day, then, Brother."

"Rest well William."

Bill nodded, and he and Sookie left. Brother Bede sat down again on the sofa, finishing his wine and thinking about the couple who had welcomed him into their lives..


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Bill and Sookie strolled through the dark cemetery for several minutes, hand in hand, a comfortable silence between them. They were nearing the woods the farthest from the road when Bill broke the quiet with a question.

"A penny for your thoughts."

Sookie looked up at her vampire, smiling at his use of the phrase she had spoken to him so often.. "Mine? I was just thinking about Brother Bede."

Bill released Sookie's hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and she responded by slipping hers around his waist, hooking her thumb into his belt as they walked. "And what did you come up with, Sweetheart?"

"He's different. I mean, you were right. He does sound like a nut case. But his thoughts...they're...odd. It's like they don't match."

Bill asked, "How do you mean, Sookie?"

"I'm not sure what I mean. I don't know how to describe it. I mean, on the outside he's funny, talks a lot, and seems like he's a complete scatterbrain. But on the inside he's completely different. I can hear him, but not unless I deliberately listen. Somehow his thoughts are...quiet, calm."

"When I met him at that café in Rome, he appeared to be more than he seemed. I remember thinking that when he gives you his attention, he's absolutely focused."

"Yeah. Like he's deep, and really, really smart. But he doesn't think he's anything special. When he says he's just a clerk who files things, he really means it."

"I think that's humility."

"I never met anybody with that kind of humility. At least not around here."

Bill chuckled. "Well, you certainly won't find it among vampires."

Sookie responded with a snort. "That's an understatement." After a moment she spoke again. "How long until dawn, Bill?"

"About 30 minutes, perhaps a bit more. Why?"

In the quiet of the cemetery, Sookie stopped, removing her arm from around his waist and giving him a mischievous smile. "There's time, then." She disrobed, prompting Bill to do the same. Sookie moved to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her body into his and giving him a long, loving kiss. When she released his mouth, she said, "I liked talking to Brother Bede, but I was getting so horny I was about to lose it right in front of him. Must be those pheromones Doc Ludwig was talking about."

Bill grinned and held her close. "Well, she did say to enjoy it."

"Then I guess we'd better behave and follow the doctor's orders." Sookie gave him a gentle kiss, then triggered his fangs and whispered, "I love your fangs, Bill."

"Then we're even. I love your smile, Sookie."

"Even with the gap?"

"Especially with the gap. It suits you."

Sookie melted into him, and Bill responded by running his hands down her arms from where they wrapped around his neck, along her sides and stopping at her breasts. He caressed the silken skin, weighing their heaviness in his palms, loving how the softness contrasted with the hardness of her nipples as she pressed against him. He stroked her sides, moving past the curve of her waist to the flair of her hips, then reached behind her to stroke firm, luscious buttocks that tightened under his hands. She trembled at his touch, feeling his pleasure through their shared blood as well as her own. The feel of his naked abdomen with its hard muscles pressed against hers excited her. Bill was incredibly strong, and she could feel the power latent in every muscle of his body. His strength and new-found confidence combined to intensify her arousal, and her flesh responded, wetness escaping her body.

Bill knew she was ready for him. The moisture that spilled from her added its own odor to Sookie's scent, creating a complex perfume that surrounded him and engaged his vampire senses. Without interrupting their kiss, Bill moved his hands to Sookie's thighs and lifted her effortlessly. Sookie wrapped her legs around him, and Bill gently maneuvered her until he could sheath himself within her. Sookie responded with a catch in her breath and a moan. Supporting her with one arm, Bill wrapped the other around her and held her close.

Sookie was more than ready for Bill, but when she tried to move she found that she couldn't; he was holding her absolutely still. This time it was Bill's chance to torment Sookie as she had done to him so often. Bill captured her lips in a kiss that required Sookie's whole attention, and for a moment she could think of nothing else. Her arousal grew but, despite her need, she found Bill had her in an iron grip, holding her hips completely motionless. She wanted to ride him; she was aching to feel him move within her, but Bill's embrace prevented it. He increased the intensity of his kiss, but drove her mad with his refusal to move or to allow her to move. She knew he was excited; she could feel his arousal and his passion through the blood bond.

_God Bill, you're making me crazy..._

Sookie could feel Bill inside her. His smell was enticing and his unrelenting kiss was filled with passion. She could feel his phallus harden and swell within her. Unable to move within his embrace, Sookie could only clench her internal muscles, tightening her vagina around him.

It was enough.

Denied the release of movement, Sookie's body erupted. Bill's orgasm pulsed inside her as she cried out with her own. Though not as strong as she had experienced before with Bill, it seemed unending. Every time she thought her orgasm was over, another wave swept through her until she could no longer think. Her entire body shuddered, and she would have fallen had not Bill held on to her.

Sookie's orgasm eventually quieted. Her gasping eased and she was able to catch her breath. Her skin glistened with sweat and her hair was damp. She rested her head on Bill's shoulder as he held her, panting and whispering in his ear.

"Oh, God, Bill. What the hell was _that_?"

Bill chuckled softly and kissed her lightly down her neck. "Something different."

"I thought I was going to go crazy when you wouldn't let me move."

"The lack of movement didn't seem to inhibit you, Ms. Stackhouse."

"It was that kiss. I swear Bill, the way you kiss...I'd probably have an orgasm from that by itself."

"That's something we'll have to try sometime," Bill said as he released Sookie to stand.

Sookie stood before him, arms around his neck, when she suddenly tensed and cried out in pain, letting him go and doubling over to grab her calf. "Sookie? What's wrong?"

"Ow! My leg...Bill...!"

Smiling, Bill knelt before Sookie and began to massage her calf. Unable to bear weight on her leg, she leaned on his shoulders with both hands, flustered, and then began to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Bill shook his head as Sookie dissolved into giggles interspersed with cries of pain as he kneaded the tender muscles.

He said, "Well, this is something I've never had happen before."

"Sorry. I guess getting a muscle cramp from sex kind of kills the romance, Bill."

Bill looked up at her as he continued to work on her leg, a sly smile on his lips. "Perhaps. But I have to admit, sex with you is never dull."

Sookie blushed and Bill's nostrils flared at the increased odor of her blood. Working out the last vestige of her muscle spasm, Bill's touch became softer and more sensuous. He leaned forward and kissed her gently on the knee, then slowly moved up her thigh, kissing its entire length. When he reached her hip, he moved toward the thatch of soft hair between her thighs, inhaling her intoxicating odor. He then stood and enfolded her in his arms and kissed her lips, giving special, loving attention to her lower lip and making her tremble. Finally pulling back he said, "I hope that restores the romance for you, Sweetheart."

Sookie sighed. "Do you have to stop?"

"I'm afraid so. The sun will be up any minute, and I have to go."

Sookie held him for a moment. "OK. I hate it when you have to leave, Bill."

"I know. But it can't be helped. I'll see you tonight."

Bill gave her a soft kiss, then gathered his clothes. Without bothering to dress, he was suddenly gone. Sookie dressed, smoothed her hair, and returned to Bill's house to collect Brother Bede.

...

Sookie locked Bill's front door before leaving with Brother Bede. She stepped off the porch and watched the friar examining the house in the daylight. "You know, my dear, I really didn't get the full effect of this house when I first saw it last night. Oh, what a wonderful old place...yes, yes, yes! William said it needs a lot of work, but I think it will be well worth it. Such lovely architecture...just lovely."

Smiling at his excitement over the antebellum structure, she led the way through the cemetery at a leisurely pace. The sun was up and the stones cast long shadows in the morning light. The slanting beams of sunlight made even the most worn inscriptions plainly visible. The brother's curiosity was enormous, and he was a keen observer. Sookie stopped for a moment at her grandmother's grave, removing the remains of the flowers she had put there a few days earlier and brushing the dead petals away from the headstone, then continued toward her house.

Brother Bede looked at the names and dates on the gravestones, and said, "I gather your family has been here quite a while, Sookie."

She looked at the friar, then responded. "Yeah. Almost as long as Bill's. He was 16 when the Stackhouse family first arrived in Bon Temps. I think that was sometime in the 1840s." Her mind wandered for a moment as she recalled the night of Bill's first visit to her home, and her grandmother's excitement as she spoke with him.

"Really? How amazing! Oh my...I imagine it's a comfort having your loved ones laid to rest so near to each other – the continuity of all those generations."

"I guess so. But Gran shouldn't have been here for years yet."

Brother Bede could see the sadness on Sookie's face when she spoke of her grandmother. "I'm sorry, Sookie. May I ask what happened?"

She stopped, looking at him. Seeing his concern was genuine, she said, "Gran was murdered."

"Oh no, Sookie. Why?"

Sookie turned and continued walking past the graves. "It was a friend of ours. He turned out to be somebody we didn't really know; even his name was phony. We never suspected. He hid his real self from everybody. He had all this hate just locked up inside him; hate for vampires and anybody around them. He murdered so many women... even his own sister."

"I'm so sorry, my dear. He killed your grandmother because of William?"

"Kinda. I was just getting to know Bill then, and it wasn't like it was a secret or anything. The sheriff said later that the killer probably was looking for me. I wasn't home, but Gran was. So I guess it was kind of my fault..." She stopped, overcome by the memory of that night. "It...it was so horrible."

Brother Bede put a hand on her shoulder. "It wasn't your fault, child. Evil doesn't need an excuse to do what it does. It just _is_."

"Yeah, I suppose so. The irony is that Bill and I had an argument, and I wasn't going to see him anymore. I was out with Sam... but that didn't work out, either. I don't remember a whole lot from that night. But I remember Bill. He knew something was wrong and showed up at Gran's. I couldn't have gotten through it without him."

"How did he know, Sookie?"

"Well, it's a little complicated. Bill doesn't just feed on me. He's given me his blood, too, and because of that we're connected. He knows what I'm feeling. He can always find me. That's how he knew something was wrong. I sort of lost it when I discovered Gran's body in the kitchen. I guess I went into some kind of shock, and he felt it. If it weren't for Bill, I probably would have had a complete breakdown. I remember him holding me, saying my name over and over. I don't know how he did it."

"He obviously cared for you, even then."

"That's not quite what I mean. There was so much blood... it looked like a red lake around Gran. It was spattered on the walls, all over me...just everywhere. And the smell...oh God, I'll never forget the smell. I know how hard it is for Bill to control his blood hunger; I just don't know how he managed it that night. He never went near Gran's body, never touched her. Other vampires... oh geeze, I don't even want to think what other vampires would have done to her." She shuddered.

A few minutes later Sookie stopped near another set of gravestones, and the monk looked at the names revealed in the early morning light. "Compton. Are these William's family, Sookie?"

"Yes. This one – Thomas – this was his son. He was just 8 when he died. Smallpox, I think. That was a hard time for Bill. He was a vampire by that time and his family was lost to him. He told me that, back then, nobody would go near those sick with pox, much less those who died by it; they were all afraid. Most of the time they just set fire to the whole house, bodies and all. But Bill came back to give his son a proper burial. He was so broken up about Thomas; it was just awful."

"I take it Thomas was his only son."

"Yeah. He had a daughter who was a couple of years older. She survived. She was sent away before the disease spread through the area."

Brother Bede nodded his understanding. " 'William Thomas Compton.' Was this one of his family as well?" He indicated a broken stone imbedded in the turf.

Sookie shook her head and spoke quietly. "No. That's Bill's. They didn't find his body after the war, but I gather his wife Caroline had this marker made for him anyway. I think she kept hoping to find his body and bring him home, to bury him next to his son. I can't imagine what she went through."

"It must have been quite jarring for you when you saw his name on the stone."

"It sure was." Sookie resumed her walk through the graveyard and was silent for a few minutes before continuing. "I mean, I know Bill's dead, but it doesn't feel like he's dead, y'know? 'Cause he moves and talks, just like anybody. I can't quite get my mind around it. But then I look at him and see that he's not breathing, or he holds me and there's no heartbeat, and it's always such a shock because I don't think of him as dead."

"I had no idea it was all so complicated."

"It took some getting used to."

"So, how did you meet William?"

Unaware of her own response, a smile drifted over Sookie's face as she remembered that first meeting. "He came into Sam's one night and sat down in my section. I knew he was a vampire right off, even though I'd never met one before."

"Really? Oh my, my...so William was the first vampire you met, too."

"Uh huh. They'd been out of the coffin a couple of years by then, and it was so exciting to meet my first vampire. I liked him right away, even more when I found out I couldn't hear him."

"I don't understand, Sookie."

Sookie turned her head and looked at the brother without breaking her step. "Oh? I thought Bill would have told you when he asked you for help. He didn't explain?"

"He only told me that a loved one was afflicted by a blood bond. That was all."

Sookie pondered this information in silence, then divulged her secret. "I'm telepathic, Brother Bede. I hear people's thoughts, whether I want to or not."

"Oh my, my...that must be just awful. To be privy to the private thoughts of all those wounded souls. I imagine it is incredibly difficult trying to keep all that at bay, Sookie."

"Yeah, it is. Only a few folks know the truth – my family, my best friend Tara, Sam and Lafayette. Everybody else just thinks I'm crazy, or maybe psychic. But even those who know, mostly they don't get it. Bill does, though. He understands how hard it is, better than anybody." She stopped and looked Brother Bede in the face. "And you get it. Which is weird, 'cause you don't really know me."

He shook his head. "I'm afraid you give me too much credit...oh my yes; too much."

"You don't think like anybody else I've met. Like when you asked about Gran. When people find out she was murdered, most of them ask what happened. They want to know how she was killed, all the gory details. But you didn't. You asked 'why' instead. And you're quiet."

Brother Bede laughed aloud. "Me? Quiet? Oh my, my, my...Sookie, my abbot would never use that word to describe me. I talk far too much, and I'm a horrible fidget.. Keeping the divine silence was nearly impossible for me as a novice, and after all these years it's not much better now. I do far more penance for that fault than any other. Lord love you, you think I'm quiet!"

Sookie smiled. "Well, _outside_ you may not be quiet, but _inside_ you are. I can hear your thoughts, too, but only if I listen for them. It's nice. I don't have to work to keep you out of my head. Everybody else...well, they just kind of shove their way in. It gets pretty overwhelming at times."

"How does William deal with your telepathy, Sookie?"

"Bill? He's wonderful...'cept he worries about me."

"You said that you can't hear him."

No, I can't hear him at all. Actually, I can't hear vampires, period. But Bill...I feel almost normal when I'm around him. Something about him makes all the other voices in my head go quiet. Some days are so awful...I don't know how I would cope at all if it weren't for him. Especially lately."

"He mentioned that you've been ill. I must say, you look just fine."

"I'm OK right now. But then, I've been with Bill for the last couple of days. I'm always better when we've been together. "

"Really? Oh my, my, my... what a blessing."

The had come through the cemetery and exited its environs to the gravel road that led to Sookie's house. Brother Bede looked around and said, "I had no idea you lived this close to William's home."

Sookie grinned. "Yeah. I kinda fell in love with the dead boy next door." They walked slowly up the lane, the gravel crunching beneath their feet. After a pause, she said, "Well, Tara's up early."

"She is?"

"Yeah. She's kind of loud. She takes a little more work to shut out than most people."

As they neared the house, the smell of cooking bacon wafted through the air. She climbed the porch and unlocked the door. "This was Gran's place. She left it to me when she died."

"It's lovely, Sookie. Warm and welcoming."

"Actually, Brother Bede, that's a pretty good description of Gran." She smiled as she escorted him into the foyer.

...

Sookie found Tara in the kitchen and greeted her, "Hey Tara. You're up early."

Tara was busy over the stove and didn't look up. "Yep. I'm going in early to help Sam catch up on some things before the bar opens. You feeling better? Hungry? There's plenty..."

"No thanks. I'm OK, but I could use some sleep."

Tara lifted head and spotted the stranger behind Sookie. "Who are you?"

"Tara, this is Brother Bede. Bill met him in Rome."

"Oh hell, I know all about you. Lafayette hasn't been able to talk about anybody else, and Sam's been near as bad. Y'all sure make an impression on folks for a short white guy."

"Oh my, my, my...I can't imagine why. All it did was help Lafayette out in the kitchen for a bit."

"Well, y'all must have done something right, 'cause Lafayette don't take to just anybody."

"He's quite an interesting fellow. I've never met anybody like him."

"He said the same thing about you."

Tara dished out bacon and eggs for all of them. "I know you're probably not hungry, Sook, but you need to eat. Once you start hurtin' it's damned near impossible to get any nourishment into you."

"Tara, I really just want to sleep..."

"Humor me. Y'all can sleep after." She looked up at the monk. "You too. Have a seat. There's plenty here and ain't no sense in letting it go to waste."

Brother Bede sat. "Thank you, my dear."

Sookie was still standing, and Tara glared at her. "Don't make me fight with you, Sook. Just because y'all got company don't mean I won't give you an ear full. You ain't been eatin' regularly since you got back from Dallas, and you need your strength."

"Tara, I need to get some sleep before I go into work this afternoon. I don't have time, and I'm not that hungry anyway..."

"What the hell you mean you ain't got time?"

"I have to go dig up those clothes out back. Dr. Ludwig needs them for testing and I have to drive all the way out to her place and get them to her before work... and I promised Brother Bede I'd drive him back to Sam's to pick up his car. That doesn't leave me a whole lot of time to sleep."

"I'll do it. I know right where they are. You sit and eat, then go straight to bed. I'll leave a voicemail for Bill, and he can pick up the clothes here and get 'em over to the healer when he wakes up." She looked at the monk. "B-man, y'all got any objections to riding back to Merlotte's with me this morning?"

"Why no, Tara, not at all..."

Tara turned back to Sookie. "See? All taken care of. So quit arguing with me and eat your damned breakfast."

Unwilling to argue in front of Brother Bede, Sookie sat.

...

The earth was damp around his body, and Bill could feel it lie heavy around him. He knew Sookie would be spending the day at her place, and he wanted to be close. He'd gone to ground – literally – in the woods near her home. He wasn't much use to her in the daylight, but at least he could keep tabs on her through their connection. It was the best he could do under the circumstances. He smiled to himself as he felt her frustration with Tara, then felt her surrender. It was the sequence of emotions she always exhibited when Tara was coercing her into doing something sensible. Reassured that Tara was watching out for her, Bill allowed sleep to wash over him with the image of Sookie in his mind.


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Sookie woke with a start, sure she wasn't alone. She sat up quickly, looking around her room, unable to see anything that didn't belong. She checked her alarm clock and, since she would need to be up in a few minutes anyway, turned off the alarm and got up. Putting on her robe, she looked out her window into the yard. The late afternoon sun lit the property with a golden glow, and Sookie carefully examined the area. Nothing out of the ordinary. Shaking off her discomfort, she went to shower and get ready for work.

...

Bill tossed his clothing in the hamper and climbed into the tub, letting the steaming water warm his cold limbs and soak the dirt from his skin. He thought about the tasks he needed to finish tonight, and was pleased that Tara had taken care of things so Sookie could rest. He'd checked his voicemail and gotten her message. He'd be able to get Sookie's bloodied clothing to Dr. Ludwig right away, and he was hoping that they would be of some use to the healer. He was still worried about Sookie. She'd had a respite from the pain for the last day and a half, but it wouldn't be long before it returned.

Bill was torn between wanting Sookie well and knowing what awaited him once she had recovered. He had promised to tell her everything once she was out of danger, a promise he intended to keep. The reality of his decision meant that, once she was healed, there was a good chance he would lose her. More than a good chance. In fact, Bill could not imagine any scenario that included keeping Sookie's love once he had divulged his secrets. It was a grim irony. In order to be the man that Sookie deserved, he would need to do the one thing that would ensure she would turn her back on him. As he scrubbed the dirt from his body, he knew exactly where he was... between a rock and a very, very hard place.

...

Bill knocked at the door of the small house, waiting patiently until Dr. Ludwig opened the door.

"Mr. Compton."

"Doctor."

She turned from the door and preceded him to the lab, indicating with a motion of her hand to follow. Bill closed the door and did so. As he entered the room, he saw another person there at a bench studying a slide under a microscope. He recognized him from the previous night as the man Dr. Ludwig had referred to as 'Joey.' Spotting the direction of his gaze, she introduced them.

"Bill Compton, this is Dr. Joseph Ludwig, my brother-in-law and general nuisance. Joey, this is Mr. William Compton, vampire and major pain in the ass." Bill nodded in acknowledgment, and Joey returned the nod with a grin and a roll of the eyes at his sister-in-law. "Now that the polite bullshit is taken care of, did you bring what I asked for?"

Bill handed her the plastic bag he had brought in from the car. "Yes. Be careful when you open the bag. There's quite a bit of dirt."

"On the clothes?"

"No, on the inside bag. I think Sookie's uniform is OK."

"Humph." Dr. Ludwig cleared the surface of the second lab bench of her instruments and notes, and put down a clean plastic sheet. Gloving her hands, she carefully opened the first bag, then the second, and removed the clothing one item at a time, placing each piece on the protected surface. Joey joined her at the table.

"Is this what you were waiting for, Maggie?"

"Yep. This looks like it." She looked up at Bill. "When exactly did this happen?"

"It was the night after I first met Sookie."

"Had she had any of your blood then?"

"No. I gave it to her afterward. She needed it to heal."

"Good. So what we have here is virgin human blood without any taint. Could be better – it's completely desiccated, but maybe Joey can make something out of it. He's pretty good with body fluids."

Dr. Ludwig unfolded each item of the stiffened clothing carefully, placing it on the work surface as it would have been on Sookie. Bill looked at it, seeing in his mind Sookie's battered body, and a grim expression appeared on his face, his lips set in a hard line, pressed tightly against each other. Joe's eyes widened at the sight of the bloody boot prints and the state of Sookie's uniform.

"My God. It's a wonder she survived long enough to take your blood."

Bill looked up at the man silently, then returned his gaze to the clothing. He hadn't seen it since the attack, and he was reminded of how near Sookie had come to dying that night.

Dr. Ludwig was examining the bloodstains. "Yep. Whoever beat her up was pretty pissed off. This wasn't just a random attack. This was personal."

Bill finally was able to compose himself enough to speak. "Is there anything else you need, Dr. Ludwig?"

"Nope. Joey and I have our work cut out for us. We'll let you know as soon as we find anything. You can let yourself out, vampire."

Bill turned and left the healers to their work and began the drive back to Bon Temps and Sookie.

...

Sookie's shoulder blades itched. She couldn't get over the feeling that she was being spied upon, that there was somebody's attention on her. It was making her crazy. On top of that, the noise was starting to break through her defenses and she just knew she was going to have a miserable night. She couldn't wait for Bill to show up. He was going to be late, but it couldn't be helped. He was taking her blood-stained clothing to Dr. Ludwig, and it was a long drive.

Sookie put her tray down on the bar. "Hey Sam. I need another pitcher of Bud."

"Gotcha, Sook. How you doin'?"

"I'm hanging in. 'Cept I keep getting this creepy feeling like somebody is watching me. It's weird." She wiped her forehead. "Have you noticed anything different, Sam? Anybody strange?"

"Not since Brother Bede showed up." He grabbed a clean pitcher and filled it from the beer tap. "Any idea who could be watching you?"

"No, not a smidgen. It's just a feeling I can't shake. Maybe it's just my imagination." Changing the subject, she said, "Is Brother Bede coming in later?"

"Nope. He had to head back to Metairie. But he said he'll be back as soon as the abbot gives him permission." He put the beer on the tray. "I'm gonna miss him. He's a hoot."

"Yeah, me too. I mean, I just met him and I feel like I've known him forever."

"I wish you'd been here last night when he came out of the kitchen and Bill saw him. I thought I'd die laughing when he gave Bill a big ol' bear hug in front of God and everybody." A grin spread itself across Sam's face at the memory.

Sookie smiled. "Really? I'm sure Bill was surprised; vampires don't even shake hands. But I would've just loved to see people's reactions."

Sam leaned across the bar and spoke in a conspiratorial whisper. "Maxine Fortenberry was here. I thought she'd choke on her dinner when she saw it. She ain't real fond of Bill in the first place, him bein' a vampire and all, but since Hoyt took up with Jessica she's been madder'n a wet hen."

Sookie giggled. "Oh geeze, I bet she about had apoplexy. I wish I'd been here."

"Sook, if I'd known what Brother Bede was going to do beforehand, I would'a had cameras installed just for the occasion."

Still grinning, Sookie picked up her tray. "I'd better get this to table 4." She turned on her heel and left.

Sam watched Sookie as she crossed the room, pleased at how well she looked, but he was still worried about her. She was always better after spending time with Bill – which galled him to no end – but every time she came back to work and was around people the pain would start again, and every episode was worse than the one before. He shook his head, wishing there was something more he could do for her. There was just no way he could convince her to take off work while Dr. Ludwig figured things out, and he didn't have the heart to force the issue. He really couldn't blame her. Sookie couldn't stand just sitting around doing nothing. If she had been able to spend her days with the vampire, it would have been different; Sam certainly could have persuaded her to take time off work under those circumstances.

Sam was having a hard time dealing with Compton. Still in love with Sookie in spite of himself, he was jealous as hell of her relationship with the vampire. But he had to admit, there was real love there. Not just Sookie's for Bill, but his for her. Sam wasn't sure how much of his discomfort was because Compton was vampire. There were times when he thought he could get used to them being together if Bill were human – or at least alive. But at other times he was certain he would have been jealous of anyone Sookie was with.

Shaking his head, Sam piled the dirty mugs and glasses into the bus box and took it back to the kitchen.

...

Bill pulled into the lot at Merlotte's, parking at the far end. As he exited the car, he was surprised by Sookie reaching to hug him before he had even closed the door. "Rough night?"

"Not now." Sookie held him tight, breathing in deeply. "I couldn't wait for you to get here. Sam told me to take a break as soon as I felt you coming."

Bill leaned in close to feel her hair upon his cheek. "I'll have to thank him." Leaning against the car, he wrapped his arms around Sookie, letting her rest against him. They stood in the faint light of the neon sign, silent, Sookie listening to the buzz of the cicadas and the trill of the crickets, Bill listening to Sookie's breathing and feeling her heart as it beat against his chest. Catching a flash of anxiety as it ran through her, he said, "Sookie, what's wrong?"

Sookie didn't move. She wasn't ready to leave the comfort of Bill's arms. "It's nothing."

Bill straightened, then lifted Sookie's chin with his fingers until she looked up at him. "You're forgetting, Sweetheart. I can feel you. Tell me."

"I don't know what to tell you, Bill. It's just this weird feeling. It woke me up this afternoon, and it's been coming and going all day. I don't even know if it's real, or just my imagination getting the best of me."

"What kind of feeling, Sookie?"

"I'm not sure. It's like that feeling you get when somebody is watching you, but there's nobody there." She shook her head. "I'm not explaining it very well."

"Then don't try to describe it. Just tell me about it. You said it's not all the time, but it comes and goes?"

"Yeah. Just out of nowhere. Then it's gone and I feel so stupid, like I'm losing my mind or something."

"Well, don't worry about it. Just let me know what's going on, even if it feels silly or you're not sure exactly what you're feeling. Promise?"

"Promise."

Bill smiled at her. "So tell me, Miss Stackhouse, what must one do to get a kiss out of you?"

Sookie's face brightened, and she spent the remainder of her break kissing Bill in the glow of the neon.

...

Tara looked up from the bar as Sookie walked in, followed by Bill. Holding out Sookie's apron, she said, " 'Bout time you got back to work."

Sookie took the proffered apron and tied it back around her waist. "Sorry Tara. I lost track of the time."

"Uh huh. I betcha I know just why, too." Sookie blushed and hurried to the pass as Lafayette called out an order. Tara turned to the vampire and glowered at him. "If y'all ain't careful, you're gonna get Sookie fired."

With a tilt of his head, Bill responded. 'My apologies, Miss Thornton."

Tara smiled. "That's more like it." Tossing the bar towel over her shoulder, she said, "O-neg, Bill?"

"Please."

"Y'all know I'm just kidding. Sam wouldn't fire Sookie. She's too good a waitress and too close a friend."

Bill picked up the warm bottle of blood. "Speaking of Sam, is he here?"

"He's in the office. You can go on back."

"Thank you, Tara."

...

Swearing under his breath, Sam was totaling up a stack of order tickets when he heard a knock on the office door. "Come on in," he hollered. As the door opened, he said, "Give me a sec– I just want to finish this last batch..."

Bill closed the door and sat down, waiting for Sam to finish and drinking from his bottle of blood.

"Damn! I thought I'd never get those numbers to balance." He turned around. "Hey Bill. What's up?"

"I wanted to ask you how Sookie's doing, Sam."

He swiveled the chair around to face Bill, then ran his hand through his hair. " 'Bout the same. She's pretty good for a while, then the noise starts to get to her. She does a lot better when you show up, though."

Bill leaned forward with his TruBlood, elbows on knees. "Has she mentioned anybody watching her?"

"Yeah, as a matter of fact, she did. She asked if I'd noticed anything strange. What's going on, Bill?"

"I'm not sure. She's not even certain what she's feeling is real, but you know how sensitive Sookie is. If she feels like she's being watched, it's a good bet she is."

"You think it has anything to do with that damned blood bond Northman tricked her into?"

"It might. Things there just aren't adding up. He showed up that night we fought with information he could only have gotten through a connection to Sookie, but later when I went to get a blood sample for Dr. Ludwig, he couldn't even tell where she was. At this point I don't know what to think."

"She never talked about anything like this before. Until today, she hadn't said anything about feeling like somebody was spying on her, even though she knew Northman could follow her every move."

"I know. That's what's worrying me. It's something new. Something she hasn't had before. I just hope it doesn't get any worse."

"Wait a minute... when she told me about it, it was still daylight."

Bill sat back in the chair. "Sookie said it woke her up this afternoon."

"Is that possible, Bill? If he's asleep, would there still be a connection?"

"I know there is for me. I can feel her even in my sleep." Bill looked Sam in the eye. "Nothing about this bond with Eric is normal. Sookie's response to my blood was typical for a human. But this...I don't know what to think."

"You ought to tell the doctor about it. It might be important."

"I plan to, Sam. I'm not even sure this has anything to do with Eric. But I'm concerned because it affects her during the day, when I can't be with her."

"You let me worry about the daytime, Bill. I'll fill Tara in, and we'll keep an eye out."

"I'd appreciate that." Bill drank from the bottle, then stood up. "By the way, I want to thank you for letting Sookie take her break when I arrived."

"Don't mention it, Bill."

"I should let you get back to work."

"Naw, I'm done." Sam also got up from his desk. "I'm going back out to the bar to give Tara a hand. I'd rather deal with her attitude than crunch numbers."

...

The next several days followed the same pattern: Sookie did her best to work her regular shifts, and Bill stayed close to her, showing up at the bar soon after waking. He usually tried to remain inconspicuous, except for those occasions when Josh Anders would join Bill for a drink or cajole him into a game of pool. Tara and Sam kept tabs on Sookie during the daytime, and Tara did her best to get Sookie to eat, though lately she wasn't being very successful at it.

Sookie managed to get through most days, even with the pain of her headaches, the increasing inability to block out the thoughts of those around her, and the nagging feeling that someone was watching her every move. She was jumpy; she would turn around quickly, certain she'd seen someone out of the corner of her eye, but invariably there was no one there. By the end of each shift, Sookie was exhausted. Sam had finally put his foot down and refused to let Sookie work more than two days in a row. It was a scheduling nightmare, but he saw the way Sookie looked by the time she finished each night and he was more and more worried.

Every minute she wasn't at work, Sookie spent with Bill. It was the only rest she got, but more and more it wasn't enough. She felt like she was losing ground, and it even had begun to affect her time with Bill. She would look forward to being with him, but it had gotten to the point that she would fall asleep from sheer exhaustion the minute she sat down.

For his part, Bill had begun carrying Sookie upstairs to bed as soon as they arrived at his home. She was so tired that she was usually asleep before he had even reached the top of the stairs. He would undress her and slide into bed next to her, letting her sleep in his arms.

So they waited, hoping that the Doctors Ludwig would be able to find some way to help Sookie.

...

Joey sat at the lab bench with a pencil between his teeth. He was looking at a slide in the microscope, going back and forth from the eyepiece to a stack of papers and microscopy photos and back again. He'd managed to make use of Sookie's bloodied uniform, and he was checking the results of several tests that he and his sister-in-law had been running for days now. A column of figures on one of the sheets of paper caught his eye, and he looked hard, uncertain of what he was seeing. He pulled the sheet from the pile and then began rummaging through the rest of them frantically until he found another like it, from the same series of tests but run a week previously. He put the papers side by side on the lab bench and pulled the arm of the lamp down closer so that he could make sure of what he was seeing. He compared the two, and then removed the pencil from his mouth and spoke aloud to himself.

"Holy shit..."

Grabbing the papers, Joe got up from the bench, knocking over the stool, and ran through the lab. "Maggie! Mags! Where are you?" He ducked into one room after another, nearly running her down as she walked into the hallway.

"Damnit Joey! Can't I even pee in peace? What the hell's so damned important that you have to run through the house like a 2-year-old on crack?"

He shoved the papers into her hands. "Look at this Maggie. Just _look_! I was rerunning some antigen tests..."

"Shit, slow down! Let me get my glasses. You know I can't read a thing without 'em."

Joey was beside himself. He couldn't stay still. He paced beside her as she perused the information before her, running his hands through his hair. He couldn't seem to decide what to do with his hands. From his hair, they went into his pockets, then he crossed his arms, then back again...he was a wreck waiting for Margaret to speak.

Dr. Ludwig pulled off her glasses and used them to point to the paper in her hand. "You sure these are right, Joey?"

"I don't know. I think so...I think they're right. I was going to run the tests again to see if I could replicate the findings but..."

"This is good work. But right now I want you to take a break, get something to eat, and get your heart rate down. I want you to rerun the tests, but you have to be in control of yourself first. We don't want any stupid mistakes, especially if this is real."

"But Mags, do we have the time? Ms. Stackhouse doesn't..."

"Joe, until you repeat the tests and make sure the results are genuine, we can't do a thing." She held the papers up. "If this is wrong, or you can't repeat it, then we're just blowing smoke. Not only that, but I want you to run the same tests using blood samples from other vampires. I have some in the fridge in the lab."

"That's a lot of work. I should get right on it."

"Nope. I told you. Take a break. You're so rattled right now you'll screw it all up. You'll do a better job, and do it faster, if you slow down and catch your breath. Believe me. I've been doing this a lot longer than you have. I know."

"OK. OK. I'll do my best. I can make my body sit, but my brain is just going a mile a minute..." He took a deep breath. "You going to call them?"

"No. Not until I have something to tell them. Until you replicate your results, and I double check them, we don't have anything to tell them."

"You know, Mags, we've been looking so long. I kind of want there to be an answer, but if this is it..."

"Yeah, I know. If this is the answer to what's happening to her, it's not very good news."

...

It was another grueling day at the bar, and Sookie was having a particularly hard time. The feeling of being watched was nearly constant now, and she just couldn't ignore it. Added to that, her ability to block out thoughts was nearly nonexistent today, and every person in the place seemed to be screaming in her head. She couldn't even shut out Sam, and he was usually the easiest, being a shifter. She was just coming out of the bathroom when Sam met her near the ice machine.

"Sook, you don't look too good. I want you to go home."

Tired, she leaned against the wall and responded. "You know Sam, I think I'll take you up on it."

Sam was surprised. "You're not going to argue with me this time?"

"No." Sookie wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Just let me hang around until Arlene gets here so you're not short handed."

"You sure?" Sam put a hand to her forehead. "Y'all are running a fever, Sook. You should leave now."

"She'll be here in less than an hour. Just let me stick around 'til then, OK? I promise, I'll leave as soon as she gets here."

"OK. But only if you take the next two days off."

Sookie nodded in agreement, then went out to refill drinks for the diners. Sam stood with his hands on his hips and his head down, trying to feel something besides concern. Lafayette came out of the kitchen.

"Did y'all get her to go home, Sam?"

He looked up. "Yeah, Lafayette, I did. She didn't even argue with me."

"Man, that's sure and true a bad sign when Sookie lets a body tell her what to do. She look like hell. She done run to the bathroom to toss her cookies twice today."

"Well, she's gonna stick around 'til Arlene shows up, then she's leaving. I told her to take a couple days off."

"I can take her over to Vampire Bill's. John's here, and he can cover the kitchen 'til I gets back."

"Sounds good Lafayette. Let's hope Arlene's not running late." Sam patted Lafayette on the shoulder and headed back to tend bar.

...

Sam was filling a pitcher with draft beer when he heard a crash from the back. _Oh shit. Not again. That girl's gonna bankrupt me if she don't quit droppin' dishes_. He hollered back at the new waitress. "Debbie, what'd you break this time?" When there was no answer, he put the filled pitcher on a tray, wiped his hands on the bar towel, and headed toward the back, swearing under his breath..

"Debbie, I said what the fuck did you break this time..."

Sam came around the corner to find Sookie out cold on the floor, with the bus cart toppled over on top of her.

"SOOKIE!" He righted the cart and cleared the dirty and broken dishes from her. "Sookie! Sookie, what happened? Wake up!" He checked her breathing and the pulse in her neck. Lafayette came out of the kitchen in a hurry when he heard Sam shout.

"Sam...?"

"Lafayette, call an ambulance... _RIGHT NOW_!"


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Bill's hands were covered in blood. They were clenched so tightly that his fingernails cut into the palms of his hands, but he didn't notice. He lay in his resting place beneath the floor, knowing Sookie was in some kind of trouble but unable to help her. There was something wrong with their connection; he was unable to sort out what exactly was wrong. He didn't know what she was feeling and he couldn't tell where she was. He could be certain of nothing except that she was still alive. He slammed his fist against the ground beside him and cried out in frustration, impatient for the sun to set.

...

Lafayette waited for nightfall. He sat in his convertible, tapping his polished nails impatiently on the steering wheel and trying not to worry. Repeatedly he checked the time on the dashboard clock to find that only another few minutes or so had passed. _Damn damn damn damn damn..._

...

Bill fairly exploded from his hiding place beneath the floor and out the front door of the house. It wasn't entirely dark, but he simply couldn't wait. As he flung open the door, he encountered Lafayette waiting in his car.

Startled by Bill's sudden appearance, Lafayette clutched his chest. "Damn Deadman! Y'all nearly scared the good looks right off'n me...get in." He started the car and revved the engine, and Bill jumped into the front seat next to him, not bothering with the door. Lafayette sped from Bill's place, peppering the front of the house with gravel as he made a quick U-turn and his wheels spun on the drive.

"What happened to Sookie? Where is she?"

Lafayette replied without looking at him. "I thought y'all could tell where she was."

"Normally, yes. But there's something wrong. What happened to her?"

"I don't know. Sam can fill you in at the hospital..."

"The hospital...?"

"Yeah. He found her out cold on the floor and couldn't wake her. She went to St. Francis in Monroe – Sam rode in the ambulance with her."

"Can you drive faster, Lafayette?"

"You just motherfuckin' watch me."

...

Sam was pacing in the waiting area of the emergency room when Bill and Lafayette arrived. Tara was sitting in a chair, trying to keep herself together. She jumped up when they arrived and hugged Lafayette, breaking into tears.

Hurrying to Sam, Bill asked, "Sam...what happened? Where is she?"

"She's in the ER now. I don't know what happened. She had a fever and she wasn't feeling well. I finally got her to agree to go home, and next thing I knew she was on the floor, unconscious."

"What'd the doctor say?"

"Not a damned thing. We haven't seen anybody. They won't tell us anything and they won't let anybody in."

Bill's mouth was set in a hard line. He said, "They'll let me in. They won't have a choice." He walked up to the registration window near the triage area. The clerk on duty looked up and said, "May I help you?"

"Sookie Stackhouse was brought in by ambulance. I'd like to see her."

"I'm sorry, no one is allowed in until the doctor is finished."

Bill's eyes grew cold, and he pulled the man's mind to his. "Take me to her. Now."

Sam watched as Bill glamoured the man. He knew of this strange ability of vampires, but had never seen it done before. The clerk stood up, eyes focused on Bill, then turned and opened the door. Bill looked back at Sam. "I'll let you know what's happening as soon as I find out." Then he disappeared through the door.

"Shit. I ain't never seen nothing like that before."

"Me neither, Lafayette." Sam turned to face him, then looked at Tara. "How y'all holdin' up, hon?"

"Not too good. I'm worried sick." She brushed the remains of the tears from her eyes.

Sam put his arm around her. "She'll be OK, chere."

"Oh God, I hope so, Sam."

...

Bill followed the clerk as he led him through the emergency department, stopping at one of the exam rooms. He pushed the door open; it was empty. The detritus of a hurried examination was strewn about the room – paper backing from EKG leads, vials of medication, a purple nitrile glove that had not made it into the trash can, and a single sneaker that Bill recognized as Sookie's. He turned to the clerk. "Where is she?" The man looked at him blankly, and Bill scowled in frustration. He exited the room as a nurse passed by, clad in parti-colored scrubs with a stethoscope draped across the back of her neck. Stopping her, he glanced at her ID which indicated she was the nursing supervisor. He asked, "The patient who was just in this room, can you tell me where she is?"

"Ms. Stackhouse was taken upstairs. She's headed for radiology and then straight for the ICU."

Bill turned on his heel and strode back to the waiting area, leaving the nurse and the clerk behind.

...

The elevator to the third floor opened and Sam and Bill exited, followed closely by Lafayette and Tara. Bill had given them the limited information he had garnered from his foray into the emergency room, and they were now headed for the ICU. Tara had to admit to herself that there could be advantages to having a vampire running interference for you. Without Bill's intervention, they would still be in limbo down in the ER waiting for word on Sookie. _I never thought I'd be happy about Bill being a vampire..._

As they reached the double doors of the ICU, a tech in blue scrubs was exiting. Bill quickly slipped through in his wake before the automatic door closed and locked, Sam with him.

The twelve rooms of the ICU were arranged in horseshoe fashion around three sides of the unit, with the nurses' station along the fourth. The counter was curved, mirroring the arrangement of the rooms, with monitors for each patient located beneath the top of the counter. The unit was quiet except for the beeping of monitors, the murmurs of the nurses and aides, and the sursurration of oxygen from the valves in the walls.

Quietly they went from room to room searching for Sookie, much to the dismay of the nurses at the desk. A respiratory therapist tending to a patient stopped them, stating, "I'm sorry. You can't be in here. You'll have to leave."

Bill rounded on the man with a low growl, fangs extended, and the startled technician backed off, eyes wide.. Sam caught Bill by the arm. The vampire was agitated, and trouble was the last thing they needed right now.

"Bill...hold yourself together. We need to find Sookie."

Bill put down his anger and frustration with difficulty, nodding his understanding to Sam, and they continued their search of the unit. Whispering so as not to disturb the patients, Sam called him. "Bill. Over here."

He followed Sam's voice to a room near the end and found Sookie.

Sookie lay in bed tethered to machinery by wires and leads. An automatic blood pressure cuff surrounded her upper arm, inflating and deflating periodically. A clip on her finger glowed red with the shine of a laser measuring the oxygen in her blood. Wires protruded from the neck of her gown and connected to a monitor at the far side of the bed which showed a running display of her heart rate. The wavy green lines below her pulse revealed her respiratory rate and her oxygen saturation. Her temperature registered in the upper corner of the screen. More wires were attached to her head and were plugged into another machine on the near side of her bed, graphing her brain waves on paper. A needle taped in place in the crook of her arm delivered fluids from a bag suspended near the head of the bed.

Bill crossed to the far side of the bed and pulled a small chair from the corner. He sat next to her and took her hand, careful not to disturb the oximeter on her finger. If his heart had still beat, it would have skipped in his chest. Sookie's hand was cold – nearly as cold as Bill's own – and trembled in his grasp. She lay unconscious and still, her breathing shallow, her skin gray, and her eyes sunken. Bill focused on their connection; but try as he might, there was nearly nothing there. He could feel her living, but nothing else. He brushed her hair from her face with his free hand, noting as he did so that the fever described by Sam was gone, replaced by a cold clamminess.

Sam moved around the bed and squatted beside Bill, whispering, "Can you tell what's going on with her, Bill?"

He shook his head, his eyes not leaving Sookie for an instant. "Not a thing. There's almost nothing there."

Sam glanced up to see a nurse approaching with a security guard in tow. Excusing himself, he rose, leaving Sookie's room and intercepting the pair before they reached their destination. He quietly introduced himself. "Hi. I'm Sam Merlotte."

The nurse spoke softly. "Mr. Merlotte, you're not allowed in the ICU. You and your friend are going to have to leave."

Sam took the nurse by the arm and gently guided her away from the room. "Well, I understand that, but that's not gonna' happen."

"Mr. Merlotte..."

"I'm not trying to give y'all any trouble, but see that man in there?"

The nurse and the guard glanced into the room, and then back at Sam.

"That's Bill Compton. Right now he's worried sick about Sookie and touchy as hell. If you're smart, all y'all'll just go about your business and pretend he ain't here. I promise, he won't get in your way."

Irritated, the nurse responded in a frustrated whisper. "I can't have visitors interfering with the care of the patients, Mr. Merlotte. If you and he don't leave voluntarily, you'll be removed."

Sam ran his hand through his hair. "Look – I understand. I'll leave. But Bill...well, he's a vampire, and damned dangerous even for one of that sort. If y'all give him a hard time where Sookie's concerned, there's a decent chance all y'all won't be goin' home tonight."

Angry at being balked, the nurse scowled and silently returned to her station. Sam watched her walk away, then turned to the guard. "Well?"

The man looked at Sam, then into the room at Bill, and back again. "They don't pay me near enough to deal with a damned vampire." He left.

Sam returned to the room, watching Sookie for a moment. "You heard?" Bill responded with a nod, his eyes still on Sookie. "I don't think anybody's gonna give you a hard time about staying, Bill."

"I appreciate that."

"I'm gonna go. I don't want to irritate these folks too much. I'll be out in the waiting room. Let me know if you find out anything, will ya?"

Bill looked up. "I will, Sam."

Sam leaned over to kiss Sookie on the forehead. "Y'all get better, chere. We're all here for you." He put his hand on Bill's shoulder and left. He walked out the double doors, rubbing the back of his neck and wondering what to tell Tara and Lafayette.

...

Elizabeth O'Padraig was just 36 years old. She had wanted to be a nurse as long as she could remember. Born into a cash-strapped family, she had joined the service to pay for her medical training, working hard to finish her studies at an accelerated pace. In return, she had served in the US Marine Corps 10 years as an RN in combat zones and stateside both. During her tours of duty, she had discovered an aptitude for trauma and post-surgical medicine.

After her discharge, she relocated to the Southern United States. She'd gotten tired of the cold winters of Boston and her years of service had encouraged a spirit of adventure. So, she'd left the service as a fully qualified and experienced registered nurse, a commissioned rank under her belt, taking with her nothing more than her duffle bag and her dog tags.

...

Stopping in the cafeteria after leaving her things in her locker, Liz picked up a large, steaming, black coffee before reporting to the floor. She was scheduled for a double shift, and she had no doubt she would need the caffeine to keep her going over the next 20 hours. Two of her coworkers were out, one on vacation and another expecting her second child any day now, and she had volunteered to cover. She had no family left, so she was happy to work the extra hours so those who did could spend time with their loved ones. There was nobody at home waiting for her except for a pair of rather aloof Peacock geckos named Godzilla and Wilbur who wouldn't miss her one bit.

Liz swiped her badge at the doors to the ICU to gain access and headed for the nursing station.

"Nurse Jarhead...how's it going?"

Liz smiled at the anesthesiologist as she put down her coffee and moved a stack of papers. "Everything's fine, Andy. Are we taking care of another one of your patients?"

"Yep. Mr. Morrison is back."

"Again? Isn't this his second surgery in the last year?"

"His third. That damned cancer keeps coming back. I don't know how he does it." He shook his head. "You know, before the surgery he told me that he was kayaking with his grandson last week. White water...he's one tough old bird."

She grinned. "Didn't you know? He's a Teuful Hunden – a devil dog from way back."

"Oh Lord... him too? Well, I guess it's good that there's a couple of Marines here already. The rest of the ICU staff is about ready to call in the troops as it is."

Liz's brow knotted in confusion. Andy was a fine physician, but he had a flair for gossip and no inhibitions about spreading it. It would have been maddening except for the fact that his information was usually dead on. "What? Why?"

"The patient in Room 8 came in a while ago by ambulance, unconscious."

"Well, that's not news..."

"Yeah, well her visitor is."

"Visitor? For an unresponsive patient from ER? Who authorized that?"

"Nobody. He just showed up. He's a vampire, name of Compton. He came in about five hours ago and has been here ever since." He leaned over the counter and whispered. "Apparently, he came in with another man. One of the nurses called security and they were trying to clear them both out. The other man was polite as all hell, but he made it perfectly clear that there'd be trouble if anybody tried to make the vampire leave..."

Liz put a hand to her forehead. "Oh God, I can just imagine the drama. Thanks for the heads up, Andy. I'll deal with it."

Andy grinned widely as he walked around her to head out of the unit. "Hey, what kind of friend would I be if I didn't get your shift off to a good start?" And with that, he left.

Taking a deep breath, Liz went around the counter to check the monitors and the day's chart entries in the computer. Looking over the patient data, she noted that there were no entries in the young woman's chart after the first few. "Andrea...where are the vitals on Ms. Stackhouse? The orders are to check them every hour." When she received no answer, she repeated, "Andrea?"

She turned around to find the entire staff deliberately avoiding her gaze. "What's going on here? Why isn't this chart current? When was the IV changed? Who's been tracking her I's and O's? Andrea? Jasper?" Now she began to get angry. "If I don't get an answer there's going to be a 2-6-10* around here pretty damned quick..."

"We haven't gone in that room since that vamp showed up," Andrea said, then defiantly added, "and we aren't going to, either. I'm not going anywhere near him, and neither is anybody else around here. You'll have to find somebody else to go in there."

Liz couldn't believe what she was hearing and, though she kept her voice low so as not to disturb the patients, her anger was obvious. "Fine. We still have a woman in that room who needs care. If you are all too afraid to do it, I'll do it myself. Meanwhile, I want you to know that this is the most unprofessional behavior I've ever seen. You should be ashamed of yourselves." She picked up her laptop and went to take care of her patient.

...

Liz entered the room and pulled the privacy curtain across the large window. As she put her laptop on the counter and opened it, she quietly introduced herself. "I'm Elizabeth O'Padraig, Mr. Compton. I'll be Ms. Stackhouse's nurse. I'm on for the next 20 hours. You can just call me Liz."

Still holding Sookie's hand, Bill looked up. "Pleased to meet you." He turned his eyes back to Sookie.

Liz went about her duties efficiently and quietly. She took Sookie's vital signs and entered them in the electronic chart with her laptop. She checked the EEG leads to make sure they were properly seated, and started another tracing. She walked to the far side of the bed near Bill and checked the monitor, then clamped off the IV and removed the empty bag of fluid. She checked Sookie's skin for tenting, pissed to find that she was dehydrated, and hung another bag of saline as the hospitalist had ordered. A Foley had been placed when Sookie arrived in the ER, and the nurse checked the urine and changed the bag.

As she went about her tasks, Bill addressed her. "Do you know what's wrong with her?"

Liz looked him in the eye. Dangerous or not, she just couldn't find it in herself to be afraid, especially when she noted the tenderness with which he held the ill woman's hand. "No Mr. Compton, I don't. There's nothing in the chart, and I just came on duty. But let me track down the doctor and see what I can find out."

Bill nodded and turned back to Sookie.

...

Liz returned to the nursing station. The staff was attending to the other patients, all the while watching her surreptitiously from the corner of their eyes. She glared at them, forthright in her anger. "I'm going to check with Dr. George. I'll be back."

...

Elizabeth took a detour, using the stairs instead of the elevator to work off some of her anger. When she got to the basement, she headed past the morgue and mechanical services, then slammed open the panic doors that led to the loading dock just off the alley at the back of the hospital. Ignoring the steps, she jumped from the dock to the pavement and paced angrily back and forth next to the dumpster that held the hospital's medical waste. There, she indulged her extensive knowledge of profanity, running through every description of a slacker she had ever heard while in boot camp or during her tours. Contrary to popular belief, Liz didn't swear like a sailor when she was angry; she swore like a Marine – a far more descriptive and imaginative vocabulary than had ever crossed the lips of any sailor.

When she had worked off enough of her anger to be fit company for her patients, she went back inside and placed a page to Dr. George, the hospitalist on duty. Then, getting a brainstorm, she made a stop at the cafeteria and another at surgery on her way back to the ICU.

...

Liz tapped softly on the door frame. "Mr. Compton?" The vampire turned to her. "I've paged Dr. George. He's been taking care of Ms. Stackhouse since her transfer from ER. As soon as I have any information, I'll let you know."

"Thank you."

She entered the room and walked to the far side of the bed where he was sitting, holding out a cold-drink cup with a straw. Bill looked at her questioningly as she rolled a physician's stool over and sat down. "I understand you've been here for quite a while. I usually offer visitors a cup of coffee or something...anyway, I thought you might be hungry, so I brought you this."

Bill took the cup from her. "Blood?"

"Yes. I got the OK from the blood bank downstairs. It's only room temperature, I'm afraid."

Bill considered the gesture. "It's very kind of you. But don't you need it for your patients?"

"No. This is from a designated donor. She donated it for her own surgery, but unfortunately, she didn't make it. It was left over and can't be used for anyone else, and there's no sense in letting it go to waste. Besides, I have a feeling that you're not planning on going anywhere for a while."

"No. Not while Sookie is ill."

"I gather she's somebody special?"

"She is." Bill considered the woman before him. "You don't seem to exhibit the same reticence around vampires as your coworkers."

"I'm sorry about that. That's the one thing I can't quite get used to down here – the narrow-mindedness. I guess it's one of those things you run into more often in small towns. Maybe it'll get easier after I've been here longer."

"I assume you're not from around here."

"No. Boston, via Afghanistan and Florida."

Bill lifted an eyebrow in query.

"I was in the Marine Corps. That's how I was able to pay for my education. Finished my stint and ended up here."

A half-smile crossed Bill's mouth. "Semper Fi, Nurse O'Padraig."

She grinned and replied softly, "Booyah..." After a pause, she got up and rolled the stool back to it's place. "Well, I had better get back to work."

...

"Bill?"

Bill looked up to see Sam in the doorway. "You're still here, Sam?"

"Yeah. Lafayette and Tara, too."

"How'd you get in?"

"That nurse, Liz... she let me in when I told her who I was here for. Any news?"

"No. The doctor says all the tests so far have come back normal."

Sam nodded. "You need anything Bill? Some TruBlood or something?" Bill shook his head. "I thought I'd come and spell you. It's gettin' near dawn."

"I'm not leaving, Sam."

"But it'll be daylight soon."

"There are no outside windows in the ICU and none in the hall." He looked up. "I won't leave her, Sam. Not like this."

"Yeah, I don't want to leave either, not 'til we know she's gonna be OK. And Tara and Lafayette ain't going anywhere... I guess we're all here for the duration."

...

Liz made regular checks on Sookie every hour per the hospitalist's orders. The neurology resident had been in once or twice to check the EEG tracings, but they showed no abnormalities, so they removed her from the machine and remained on call in case of any changes; Sookie meanwhile, remained unconscious.

Andy came in a few times to check on Mr. Morrison. The old man had a history of a slow response when coming out of anesthesia, but Liz suspected that Andy's real reason for coming to the ICU was to find out more about the vampire sitting with the patient in Room 8. He was surprised that he was still there despite it being daylight.

"He's still in there, huh Liz?"

Elizabeth was thankful for the warning he'd given her about the staff when she arrived, so she threw him a tidbit to make him happy. "Yes. He hasn't left her side." She took a sip of her stone-cold coffee from earlier, wincing at the bitterness. "I met his friend."

"The other man who warned off security?"

"Yep. Nice guy. His name is Sam." She gave him a little smile. "Cute, too." She knew that in less than an hour Andy would have her in a hot relationship with the stranger and it would be all over the hospital, but he deserved a treat and her innocent comment was exactly the kind of thing he lived for.

...

Bill sat with Sookie throughout the morning, holding her hand, his arms folded on the mattress, and occasionally resting his head on his arms. He was beginning to feel a bit of hope. From time to time he would get a sense of awareness from Sookie. It would only last a moment, but their blood connection would flicker to life, accompanied by increased trembling of her hand in his, and then would disappear again. He prayed that she was beginning to wake.

Bill felt Sookie's hand feebly squeeze his, and he lifted his head and looked up. Sookie's eyes were barely open between swollen lids, and she was looking directly at him. "Sookie?"

Sookie made an attempt to speak, but her mouth was dry and she couldn't find her voice. Bill gently lifted her and propped her up just enough to drink, then helped her sip from the water glass next to her bed.

_Bill..._ Sookie silently mouthed his name, then closed her eyes. This time the connection remained, and her unconsciousness was now only a deep sleep.

...

Liz came in to make her hourly check on her patient and noted her position in the bed had been changed. She addressed Bill. "Has something happened?"

Bill looked at the nurse, and she noted that he seemed less worried.

"She woke up for a moment. She's just sleeping now."

Liz checked Sookie's pulse and her other vital signs, then ran a quick check on her fluids and monitor readings. "You can tell?"

With his eyes on Sookie, stroking her hand gently with his thumb, Bill nodded. "Yes."

"Huh. You'll have to explain that to me sometime. But I'll make a note in her chart. The doctor will be glad to hear it." She made the necessary entries in the laptop. "I'm glad she making some improvement, though." She watched the vampire for a few minutes. "Mr. Compton, would you like me to let your friends know? They're still in the waiting room."

Bill responded. "Please."

...

Tara sat slouched in a chair, chewing on her nails. She was a complete wreck, unable to concentrate on a thing. She was in that mind-numbing place that occurs when a person is so overwhelmed with worry that they nearly stop functioning altogether. Lafayette, however, while no less worried about Sookie than his cousin, had retreated into sleep. He had sprawled out on the sofa with the end of his scarf over his eyes to block out the light, and was snoring softly.

Sam, meanwhile, was restless. He couldn't seem to be still. He was too fidgety to sit, and too nervous to pace. Right now he just wanted to be someplace else, anywhere else, than waiting in a hospital. He hated hospitals. It was only his concern for Sookie that kept him in the building at all.

His eyes were on the doors to the ICU when they opened and a nurse came out and walked toward him. He braced himself for bad news. _Oh God, please let Sookie be OK..._

"Mr. Merlotte?"

Nervous, Sam waited. "Yeah. Right here." Tara got up from her chair and joined him.

"Mr. Compton asked me to speak to you. He wanted you to know that Ms. Stackhouse woke for a moment and recognized him. She's no longer unconscious, but just sleeping now."

Tara, who had been holding her breath, let it out with a gasp. "Oh thank God..." She grabbed Sam's arm and buried her face in his shoulder.

...

* 2-6-10: "A military term used to motivate someone who is not pulling their weight, as in: "It's gonna take 2 surgeons 6 hours to remove 10 inches of my boot from your ass."

Note to my readers: Thank you so much for your reviews and your encouragement. You've really kept me going.


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

Bill sat with Sookie throughout the day, all the while feeling their reestablished connection. She would wake now and again, open her eyes for a few seconds, and then fall back asleep. Though he was relieved that she was no longer unconscious, he was worried nonetheless. Each time Sookie woke, Bill could feel the pain she was in. As yet she didn't remain awake long enough to speak, and her periods of alertness were far too short for Bill to explore in depth. So, Bill remained in the ICU, catching what rest he could while Sookie slept.

Liz stood in the doorway to Room 8, watching the woman and the vampire. They were both asleep, yet even so she noted that he never let go of Sookie's hand and never left her side. She was impressed. She had seen this kind of behavior in combat, but never in civilian life. Her thoughts returned to her duty tour in Afghanistan, to the woman who had carried her small daughter for miles to reach the aid station, and the numerous soldiers who refused to leave their injured comrades, even when all hope was gone. Her curiosity was piqued, and she wondered exactly what their relationship was.

...

Liz found Sam sitting in the waiting area, the other two people with him fast asleep. She tapped him gently on the shoulder.

Sam looked up at the dark-haired nurse. He glanced over at Tara and Lafayette and, not wanting to wake them, got up and walked down the hall with her. He whispered, "Is something wrong?"

Liz reassured him at once. "No, Mr. Merlotte. Ms. Stackhouse is improving, slowly. She's sleeping."

Sam nodded and breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good."

She watched as the man rubbed at his eyes. He looked exhausted. "I'm headed down to the cafeteria for a bite to eat. Care to join me?"

"Yeah, I think I will. I could use some coffee."

...

Liz and Sam found a table far from the register, Liz eating her chicken salad and soda, Sam sipping hot black coffee. After a bit, she said, "You looked like you needed a break, Mr. Merlotte."

"Call me Sam. 'Mr. Merlotte' is way too formal for me."

She smiled. "All right. But only if you call me Liz."

Sam smiled back. "It's a deal."

As they sat at the table, Sam noted the furtive glances directed their way. He remarked, "There sure seem to be a lot of folks checking us out."

Liz looked a little sheepish, sparking Sam's curiosity. "It's my fault, I'm afraid."

Sam was baffled, and his face showed it. He responded, "How so?"

"Well, we have this doctor, Dr. Abernathy. He's an anesthesiologist on staff here, a wonderful physician."

"Uh huh..."

"It's just that he's the most horrible gossip...and I thought I would yank his chain a little, so I mentioned to him that I thought you were cute. By now he probably has a hell of a story about the two of us out there on the grapevine."

"So you told him I was cute..."

"I was trying to be nice to him for a favor he did for me earlier. Really, it was just an off-hand remark, but it's the kind of thing that just makes his entire day. I had no idea you'd be subject to this kind of scrutiny."

"So I'm not cute?"

"Well, you are, but..."

Sam grinned widely at her discomfort.

"I guess there's no graceful way out of this, is there?"

"Nope. Not one."

"You know, if you keep grinning like that, you'll only give them more reason to talk."

"Well, I sure don't want to make a liar out of the doctor. Might do damage to his reputation, and that just wouldn't be polite." Sam turned his cup of coffee in his hands. "How long've you been a nurse?"

"Oh gosh, I've been an RN nearly 13 years. How about you, Sam? What do you do?"

"I own a bar and restaurant down in Bon Temps."

"Sounds nice."

"Yeah, it is. Not too fancy...kind of casual. Fits the folks who come in."

"You all seem to be really good friends."

"I've known Sookie for years. She and Tara are as close as sisters, and Lafayette's is Tara's cousin. We all work together too, so yeah, we're pretty close."

"And Mr. Compton?"

Sam hesitated, looking down at his coffee.

"I'm sorry, Sam. I've made you uncomfortable. Forget I asked."

"No, it's OK Liz. It **is** uncomfortable, but it's not because of you. Bill's in love with Sookie. Problem is, I've been sweet on her myself for a long time."

"Oh...that's rough."

"Yeah, it is. But I'll get over it."

"I didn't mean to pry, Sam. It's just that he seems so devoted to her, and the only time I've seen behavior that intense as in combat."

"Combat?'

"Yeah. Marines. I was in Afghanistan. I did a couple of tours at an aid station and a field hospital, then rotated to a VA hospital in Florida for a couple of years... You're looking at me funny, Sam."

"Sorry. I just can't imagine somebody as pretty as you in combat."

She laughed. "Flattery will get you nowhere with me. I've heard it from the best."

"Well, y'all ain't never heard it from me. And I mean it."

"Well, thank you, sir."

"How the hell did you end up in the service?"

"Necessity. I've wanted to be a nurse since I was a kid, but money was tight, and I just couldn't seem to put together enough to pay for it all. The Marines would pay up to $180,000 for my medical training in return for my service, and it seemed like a win-win for them and for me, so I signed up."

"So how was it?"

"I don't know what was harder...nursing school or boot camp. But I got through both of them."

"Your folks must be real proud."

Liz got up from the table to bus her dishes and return to the ICU. Sam tossed his empty cup into the trash and joined her, and they continued their conversation uninterrupted as they walked back to the elevators.

"Well, I like to think they would be, but I lost my dad while I was in boot, and mom died when I was just 13, so they didn't get to see me graduate."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Liz."

"Well, don't be. It's just life. Besides, I don't think they're gone forever."

"You sound like somebody else I know."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. This fella I met recently. He's a Catholic monk. One of the oddest people I've ever met, but a real believer. I think you'd like him."

"A monk."

"Yep."

"You know, Sam, for somebody from a small town like Bon Temps, you sure have an eclectic collection of friends... a monk, a vampire... and I've had a good look at Lafayette..."

Sam laughed aloud as he pushed the call button on the elevator. "Liz, you don't know the half of it..."

...

Sookie woke toward the end of the afternoon, wishing she hadn't. The noise in her mind was unbearable. Her head was pounding and every nerve in her body felt like it was on fire. Every sense seemed to exist only to amplify the pain. Every smell, every sound made her hurt. The light from the fluorescent tubes overhead seared her eyes. Her skin was exquisitely sensitive; she could feel every fold of the hospital gown cut into her body. The slightest movement of the sheet was like sandpaper on an open wound. The gel remaining on her forehead from the EEG leads felt like hot grease. She could feel the IV needle as it burned into her arm, and the oximeter on her finger felt like a vise. Even the movement of her own breath in her nostrils hurt.

The only thing that didn't hurt was where Bill's hand touched hers. As long as she could keep her focus on that, she could remain awake. But if her concentration slipped, the pain and the noise would come roaring back and she would escape into the abyss of sleep.

Bill felt her wake and lifted his head from his arms to find her looking at him with eyes filled with pain. She was pale and trembling, but seemed a bit more lucid than she had before. Pushing the monitor out of the way, he stood at the head of the bed, bending close so that she could hear.

"Sookie?"

She struggled to speak his name and it came out in a ragged whisper, barely audible. "Bill..."

"I'm here, Sweetheart."

"It hurts, Bill...it's so loud..." Tears spilled down her cheeks and Bill could smell their salt. "...it's so loud and I can't shut it out..."

He stroked her hair with his free hand. "It'll be OK, Sookie..." but by then she was asleep again, and he didn't know whether or not she had heard him.

Bill contemplated Sookie's words for a few minutes, then released her hand. He moved to the door of Sookie's room and looked toward the nurses' station, looking for Liz. He didn't see her, and the staff behind the counter deliberately avoided his gaze. A low growl rumbled in Bill's chest – he really didn't care how they treated him, but their behavior was affecting Sookie and he wasn't about to stand for it. Getting control of himself, he walked toward the nursing station and quietly addressed the woman closest to him. "Excuse me. Is nurse O'Padraig available?"

The aide wouldn't look up, but Bill refused to let her off the hook so easily. He stood before her, pointedly giving her his complete attention. She finally answered, without looking up. "She's at lunch. She should be back in a few minutes."

"Would you ask her to come in as soon as she gets back? I need to talk with her."

There was no answer from the aide, and Bill was beginning to lose his grip. His fangs extended of their own accord and his eyes blackened in anger. A growl, barely audible, began to emanate from him, catching the aide's attention, and she finally looked up. Her eyes widened in fear, and she nodded her assent, papers shaking in her trembling hands.

Bill glared at her, then turned and returned to Sookie's room, leaving the frightened woman with her coworkers gathering around her.

...

Liz left Sam in the waiting area and returned to the ICU. As she came in, she noted the staff members clumped together in a corner of the station. She started checking the entries in the charts when Jasper approached.

"Liz, you have to do something."

Distracted by her work, she answered. "Hmmm? About what?"

"That damned vampire. He about scared Maura to death."

She looked up. "Why? What happened?" She looked toward Maura sitting down among her coworkers and went over.

"Maura? What's wrong?"

"It's that...that..." She was shaking and couldn't speak, and Liz looked up at the rest of them.

"What happened? Jasper? Do you know what happened?"

"He threatened her, that's what."

"What'd he say?"

"It wasn't what he said. He bared his damned fangs at her and growled."

"What did he _say_?"

Maura found her voice. "He was looking for you."

"And?"

"I... I told him you were at lunch and were due back any minute."

"And?"

"He asked for you to come in when you got back. He wants to talk to you."

"What else?"

"That was it."

"What do you mean, that was it? Why did he show his fangs? What did you say to him?"

"Nothing...I didn't say a thing."

Liz was silent. This just didn't fit the behavior she had observed in Mr. Compton. Then it dawned on her. "In other words, you ignored him."

There was a guilty silence as Liz looked from face to face. Though she never raised her voice, it was obvious she was mad as all hell. "He had a legitimate question and you ignored him." She fumed. "You're all lucky that it was just him here, and all he did was show his fangs. We're here to take care of our patients, and it doesn't make a damned bit of difference who they are or who their friends are. If you can't do that, you shouldn't be here. So either get it together, or find another assignment. If you haven't all pulled yourselves together by the time I get off shift, I guarantee every damned one of you that 2-6-10."

She looked down at the aide. "As for you, Maura...you have exactly one hour to get your shit together and apologize to Mr. Compton, or I'm writing you up."

She gave them one last withering look. "Now get back to work and do your damned jobs."

...

Liz stood at the door to Sookie's room and called softly. "Mr. Compton? I understand you wanted to speak to me?"

Bill got up and reluctantly released Sookie's hand. "Yes, I do." He walked out of the room, the nurse in his wake. "How long will it take you to get Sookie ready to leave?"

"I'm sorry?" She didn't think she understood him.

"I'm taking Sookie out of here, and I need to know how long it will take you to get her ready."

She protested. "You can't be serious. She's in no shape to leave, Mr. Compton. She was unconscious for hours, and she's barely holding her own now. She needs care."

"I know. And I intend to see that she gets it. But you can't help her here."

Liz looked at him. There was something going on, and she wasn't about to turn her patient loose without knowing more. "What aren't you telling me, Mr. Compton?"

Bill took her by the elbow and moved her our of earshot of the room. "Sookie woke. She's in a tremendous amount of pain. I have to get her out of here."

"We can help her with the pain. Let me call Dr. Abernathy or Dr. George. They can prescribe something for her..."

"Drugs won't work, not on this. We've tried it before. That's why I have to get her out of here. I have to get her away from people so she can rest. She can't do that in the hospital."

"She needs medical care, Mr. Compton... "

Bill looked her in the eye. He couldn't divulge Sookie's ability without compromising her safety; neither could he waste time trying to convince her of the need to get his human out of the hospital. "Sookie's leaving. I would prefer to have you prepare her so that it's done safely, but with or without your help, I'm taking her home."

"You'll have to speak to the doctor to have her signed out AMA*, Mr. Compton."

"I'm not waiting for a doctor. Just get her ready."

Bill left Liz standing in the ICU and went out to the waiting area.

...

Sam was dozing when Bill came out to the waiting room. Tara jumped up and intercepted him. "What's going on, Bill? How's Sookie?"

Bill took her by the shoulders and gave her a quick reassuring look, but said nothing. Lafayette came and put his arm around her.

"Sam...Sam...wake up." Bill shook him awake.

"Hmm? What's up?" He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and stood. "What's wrong?"

"I'm getting Sookie out of here as soon as the sun goes down. Will you drive?"

Tara was stunned. "What d'you mean, you're taking her out of here? Are you out of your motherfuckin' mind?"

Lafayette interrupted. "Deadman, y'all sure you's wantin' to do that? You didn't see her out cold on the floor. Maybe she should stay..."

Sam looked Bill in the eye. "You know something. What is it, Bill?"

Tara turned from Bill to Sam and back again. "What d'you mean, he knows somethin'? What's he talking about, Bill?"

Bill lowered his voice so they would not be overheard, and put his hand on her shoulder. "She hurts, Tara. Something's wrong, and she can't shut out the noise. It's overwhelming her. I suspect that's the reason she passed out in the first place."

Sam's mouth was set in a hard line. "It's all the people, ain't it, Bill? Too many folks in this place."

Releasing Tara, Bill said to Sam. "Exactly. I'm taking her home, Sam." He turned to Lafayette. "Can we use your car, Lafayette?"

"Sure. I can ride back with Tara."

"You're not leaving me behind, Bill." Tara grabbed his arm. "Lafayette can have my car, but I'm riding with Sookie."

"Tara, you can't. I need to get her away from everybody. I'm sorry, but Sookie can hear your thoughts too easily. It has to be Sam."

"But why Sam?"

"He's harder for her to hear. Just trust me, Tara." He turned to Sam. "We've got about half an hour until sunset. I'll meet you outside at the front of the hospital with Sookie."

Sam nodded, and Bill returned to the ICU to check on Sookie.

After a few seconds of silence, Tara began to question Sam. "I don't get it, Sam. What's he mean? "

Lafayette handed Sam his car keys and answered for him. "Y'all heard him, hooker. You's as loud on the inside as you is on the outside. Sam's just better for this."

"I'm not buying it, Lafayette. Sookie can hear everybody 'cept motherfuckin' vampires. Sam's no different." She turned to her boss. "There's something you're not telling me, Sam..."

"Tara, we don't have time for this." Sam deliberately avoided Tara's gaze, and she grabbed his arm. "What's goin' on? Bill won't let me near my best friend, but you're OK because y'all are harder to hear...what's that mean?"

"Tara..."

Determined, Tara's grip on his arm tightened. "Tell me, Sam."

Irritated, Sam pulled her hand away. "Oh for God's sake, Tara. I'm harder to hear 'cause I'm a shifter. Satisfied?" Sam turned and left to get Lafayette's convertible, leaving both Tara and Lafayette with stunned expressions and mouths agape.

Lafayette was first to speak. He turned to his cousin and said, "What the hell is a shifter, Tara Mae?"

"Oh fuck. How the hell should I know? But if y'all have a third eye or something else you're hiding, I don't want to know about it."

...

_Shit shit shit..._ Sam cursed himself silently as he rode down the elevator and out to find Lafayette's car in the parking lot. _I must be more worried than I thought. What in all hells possessed me to tell Tara and Lafayette? Damn, she's never gonna let it go... _

...

Bill returned to Sookie's room just as Liz had finished. She was cleaning adhesive from Sookie's upper chest with an alcohol pad as he walked in. "I've removed her catheter and the EKG leads, Mr. Compton, as well as her IV. She's as ready to go as I can make her, but I wish you would reconsider. Ms. Stackhouse is in no condition to leave the hospital, much less ICU. Please speak to the hospitalist..."

"I appreciate your concern. But the only thing that will help her now is getting her out of here. Any delay will only prolong her suffering, and I won't allow it. As soon as the sun is down, we're leaving."

Liz frowned. "All right. Let me call an orderly with a gurney..."

"No. I'll take her myself."

"Mr. Compton..."

Bill put his hand on her arm, and she could feel the coolness of his fingers through the fabric of her scrubs. "Liz, I understand your concern – but we have two specialists who are working to find out what's wrong with Sookie. If I wasn't completely certain that this is what she needs, I wouldn't even consider it."

"Well, at least let me go with you as far as the front door. Otherwise, security will give you a hard time."

"All right."

"One other thing..." She pulled a scrap of paper from the pocket of her scrubs and quickly scribbled on it, then held it out to Bill.. "Here's my cell phone number. If Sookie needs a nurse, you call me."

...

Sam sat in Lafayette's convertible at the entrance to the hospital, motor idling. The sun had set and he was expecting Bill to show up any minute. He was still mentally kicking himself for telling Lafayette and Tara that he was a shifter. It was a subject that had caused him nothing but heartache since his teens, and he had hidden that part of his life from everyone. It had been hard enough to tell Sookie, and that was nearly a disaster.

Sam's ruminations were cut short by the appearance of Bill coming through the door of the hospital with Sookie in his arms, wrapped in a blanket. He was accompanied by Liz. Sam got out and went around to open the back door for Bill.

"You two ride in the back, Bill. There's more room."

Bill nodded his agreement and slid into the back, holding Sookie close to his chest. Liz leaned in to help get her settled, then spoke.

"Mr. Compton, you remember what I said..."

"I will, Liz." As the nurse closed the door, Bill turned to Sam. "Let's go, Sam."

Sam turned on the headlights and pulled away from the hospital and back to Bon Temps.

...

* AMA = against medical advice


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Hearing a knock on the door, Bill came down the stairs quickly and quietly so not to disturb Sookie. He knew who it was. He could feel it was a vampire, and there was only one vampire who would show up at his place. Controlling his irritation, he opened the door.

"Eric."

With his usual smug smile, Eric acknowledged him. "Well, Bill. Care to invite me in?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Not really." Eric walked through the door, a frown replacing his smile as he perused the foyer. "How can you stand to live in this rathole, Bill? Surely you can afford something better while you renovate. Though why you would even bother to restore this place is beyond me."

"You didn't come here to criticize my domestic arrangements, Eric. What do you want?"

"Right to the point, eh Bill? Very well. I'm here to check on our favorite telepath."

Bill wasn't about to let him near Sookie if he could avoid it. "Why?"

"I don't need to explain myself to you. I'm your sheriff. That should be enough."

"How's your wrist, Eric?"

Eric glowered at him as Bill stood firm.. "You're on dangerous ground, Bill."

"So are you, if you're here to bother Sookie."

"You refuse to yield to my authority?"

"As you said, Eric, you're my sheriff and I am under your authority. I'll accede to your wishes in any way..."

"Good..."

"...except when it comes to Sookie."

"Your preoccupation with this human is getting tiresome."

"Nevertheless, you're not going near my human unless you explain your reasons to my satisfaction, Eric."

Eric's smile returned, and he seemed to come to a decision. "All right."

Bill gestured Eric into the living room, and they sat across from one another. "You're not very hospitable, Bill."

"Get to the point."

"I've been doing some thinking since your visit to Fangtasia. I should have been aware that Sookie was there, and yet I wasn't."

"I was curious about that, as well."

"I made an attempt to reach her through our blood bond, and I was unable to locate her. I did, however, get a very disturbing sensation from her."

"Disturbing in what way?"

"In that I couldn't decipher it. She was alive, but there was nothing else."

"And now?"

"The same. That's why I'm here. There's something very strange going on."

"I had the same experience."

"When?"

"Two days ago, during my rest, and later that evening."

"Were you able to locate her?"

"I was with her in the hospital at the time."

"The hospital?"

"Yes."

"Why was she in the hospital?"

"Her ability to control her telepathy is collapsing. Sam found her unconscious at the bar."

"I don't like this, Bill. Any change in a human's response to a blood bond is dangerous to all of us."

"It may not be all humans. It may only be Sookie."

Eric pondered this information for several minutes in silence before looking up. Telepathy was too rare a talent to waste, and he needed to know what was happening with the blood bond. "May I see her?"

Bill nodded and got up, leading Eric up the stairs to the bedroom. As they reached the door, Bill whispered, "Don't come in, Eric. You can see her from the door. If she sees you, it will only upset her, and she's too fragile to deal with that right now."

"I understand."

Bill opened the door and went into the room, and Eric stood at the threshold. Had he not known it was Sookie, he would not have recognized her. This creature looked nothing like the woman he was familiar with.

Sookie was currently in the midst of one of the recurrent fevers that wracked her body. Her hair and skin were soaked with sweat. Her open lips were cracked, and her breathing was fast and shallow. Her sunken eyes were mere slits, dull and filled with pain. Under the hot, gray skin, Sookie's cheeks were hollow. Eric could see the strain in her neck as she struggled to breathe. He watched as Bill carefully sat on the bed and took her hand in his. As soon as he touched her, she inhaled with a loud ragged gasp, and Eric could see her body suddenly relax and her breathing ease. Sookie's eyes closed completely and she slept. Bill sat with her until he was sure she wouldn't wake, then softly stroked her hair. He got up from the bed slowly and left the room, turning at the doorway to check that she was still asleep, then nodded to Eric. As they left the bedroom, Bill softly closed the door behind him.

Eric and Bill descended the stairs. Eric paused in the foyer, and Bill addressed him.

"Have you seen enough, Eric?"

Eric was silent, then asked, "What happened when you touched her? Her breathing changed..."

Momentarily, Bill considered how much to tell him. "For some reason, my being with her eases the pain. We don't know why. Neither does Dr. Ludwig."

"Speaking of the good doctor, has she found out what's going on yet?"

"Not yet."

Eric nodded. "This question of the blood bond will have to be looked into. But for now, keep this information between the two us." He paused, looking up at the bedroom, and then back at Bill. "I'll leave you to care for her. Keep me informed, Bill." Eric let himself out, and Bill locked the door behind him.

After Eric left, Bill checked his watch. Dawn was coming, and he couldn't leave Sookie in the state she was in. He went to his hiding place and opened the door, then the trapdoor in the floor. As he squatted there, looking at the space, he considered his options and got to work.

...

Tara pounded on the door to Sam's trailer. She knew he was home, and she planned to keep up the noise until he answered. His phone was set to voicemail and, convinced he was avoiding her, she had presented herself in person. Something was going on, and she wanted some answers. She had no idea what he'd meant at the hospital, but she was determined to find out. When Sam didn't answer after the first 20 minutes, Tara began pounding again, even harder, shaking the glass in the windows. This time she met with success as the door opened.

"Damn it Tara... enough already! Y'all are knocking stuff off the walls."

Tara pushed by him and into the living room. She tossed her purse on the coffee table, then sat on the sofa and folded her arms.

"Hell, invite yourself right on in..." Sam closed the door and stood, hands on hips, looking at her. "Well, you're here. You gonna' say something or just glare at me?"

"Don't make me pull it out of you, Sam. Y'all know why I'm here."

Sam was silent.

"I'm not leaving until you tell me what you meant. How come it's harder for Sookie to hear you? And what the hell is a shifter?"

Sam ran his hand through this hair and went to the kitchen. "Look, Tara, I don't want to talk about it. It's caused me nothing but trouble my whole life. So just drop it." He pulled a beer from the fridge, opened it, and took a long swallow.

"I'll take one of those."

Sam pulled a second beer from the fridge and walked it to her, then sat down in an armchair.

"I'm not leaving until you explain, so unless you plan on me living here, you might as well tell me and get it over with."

"Shit, Tara. You just won't leave it alone, will you?"

"Nope."

Sam took another long swallow of his beer, wiped his mouth, and took a deep breath. "Can I at least have your word that you won't tell anybody?"

"Why?"

"'Cause I like living here, and if word got out, I'd have to leave."

"Are the cops looking for you, Sam?"

"No. If they were, I'd be in jail by now. Even Andy's not that clueless."

"All right. I promise. Not a word to anybody."

Sam stared into space for a few moments, working up the courage to explain. "Tara, you remember when Rene tried to kill Sookie?"

"Yeah. He damned near did it, too."

"She was pretty drugged up when she got home from the hospital."

"She sure was. Lafayette was impressed."

"You remember what she said?"

Tara's brow knit itself together while she concentrated on that night. "Well, she said you saved her life, and that you should let people see the real you."

"Did she say how?"

"She said something, but she was so full of painkillers it didn't make any sense."

"But do you remember what she said?"

"Well...she said you turned into a dog and bit Rene. But I suppose that was just the drugs and the concussion talking."

"It wasn't."

"Huh?"

"I said, it wasn't."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"It means that she told you exactly what happened."

Tara put her beer on the table and leaned forward. "What the fuck are you talking about? Y'all are worrying me, Sam."

Sam got up and began to pace. Tara had never seen him so nervous. She got up, stopping his pacing with a hand on his arm. "Sam? Sam, stop."

He did, and turned to look at her.

Lowering her voice, she said, "Just tell me, Sam."

"I'm a shape shifter, Tara. It happened exactly like Sookie said. I shifted and attacked Rene, trying to keep him from hurting Sookie."

"I know y'all are speaking English. I hear what you're saying, but it doesn't make a lick of sense."

"I changed form. I turned into a dog, just like she said, and attacked Rene."

Tara paused and looked him in the eyes, unable to believe what she was hearing. "You been smoking something funny Sam? 'Cause you know sometimes they lace that stuff with PCP and shit..."

Sam sighed, exasperated, and flopped back into the chair. "Aw hell. Bad enough you browbeat me into telling you in the first place, but now y'all think I'm lying."

Tara sat down as well, picking up her beer and drinking. After pausing to swallow, she said, "You're serious. You think you changed into a dog?"

"I don't think I did. I did."

"Uh huh. Show me."

"What?"

"I said show me, Sam. If you're telling me the truth, then do it. Change into a dog."

"Tara..."

"I need you to prove it to me. 'Cause either you're crazy as a bedbug and I'd better start looking for a new job, or you're telling me the truth and the whole damned world is upside down. So do it."

Sam stared at her, then got up and took off his shirt. The next thing Tara knew, an English Shepherd ran up to her, barked, then jumped into the chair.

Tara dropped her beer.

...

Sookie woke. Her brain was foggy, and she felt just awful. Her mouth tasted like something had crawled in and died. She currently was without the fever that repeatedly assailed her, which was a relief, but she felt grubby and sticky with old sweat. It was completely dark, and she wondered if she was back at Dr. Ludwig's place. The bed was comfortable, and she thanked God that it didn't make her hurt as much as the hospital bed did. She remembered bits and pieces of what happened. She had been in the hospital. She had a vague recollection of sounds and smells; the beeping of monitors and the smell of Betadine. And Bill. She remembered that, during that whole horrible time, Bill was with her. His smell and his touch gave her the only relief she'd had in that place.

And he was with her now, here – wherever here was. Her head was pillowed on his shoulder and his arm held her close to his side as he slept. She had been put into her short nightgown and was covered by a soft flannel sheet. Moving gingerly to keep her aching limbs from screaming, she managed drag her arm across Bill's pajama bottoms and position it across his bare midsection, holding him as best she could before slipping back into sleep.

...

Tara was staring blankly at Sam as he buttoned his jeans and pulled on his shirt. "You OK, Tara?"

"I think...I think I'm just gonna dig myself a hole somewhere quiet, climb in, and pull it in after me..."

"You want another beer?"

"Oh _hell_ yes."

Sam brought her another beer and, as an afterthought, brought her a shot of bourbon along with it. She chugged the shot and then took a long pull at her beer.

"How long you been like this, Sam?"

"I don't know. I was born this way, I guess, but it didn't show up until I was about 15 or so."

"Were your parents like that too?"

"Beats me. I was adopted. It just happened all of a sudden one night. I couldn't control it, didn't know what the hell it was."

"So what'd your folks do?"

"Well, I came home from school the next day and they were gone. The whole damned house was empty 'cept for my room. I never saw them again, and I've been on my own ever since."

"No shit? They just up and left? What the hell kind of people is that?"

"Normal people, I guess. It must have scared them half to death. It did me."

"No wonder y'all didn't tell anybody. I wouldn't either. Does anybody else know?"

"Any vampire can tell right off, so Bill knows. And Sookie. That's it."

"Sookie knows?"

"Yep. I didn't plan it. Bill asked me to look after her when he went to be tried for staking that vamp. Anyway, she went to Bill's for the night, and I shifted and showed up as a dog. You know how stubborn Sookie is. I figured she wouldn't get upset if a nice, friendly dog just showed up, and I could protect her that way."

"So what happened?" Tara, rapt, took another drink of her beer. She felt like she had fallen into a book of fairy tales and couldn't wait to hear the rest of the story.

Sam smiled in spite of himself. "I fell asleep, that's what. Passed out from sheer fatigue and shifted back to normal. Sookie woke up and found me naked on the bed. It was embarrassing. I think she scared me more than I did her."

"How'd she take it?"

"She was mad as all hell."

"That doesn't sound like Sookie. She's always been ticked off by what she calls 'narrow-mindedness.' "

"Oh, she didn't care a bit that I was a shifter. She was pissed that I didn't trust her enough to tell her before then."

"Now that sounds like Sookie." She shook her head and took another drink of her beer. "So, are you like a werewolf or weredog or something?"

"No, a dog is just easiest for me. With anything else, I need to be around it to shift. I can change into just about anything except people. They're too hard."

"No shit? Can you like, do a bird or something and fly?"

"Yeah, I can, but flying's a lot of work."

Tara shook her head in disbelief. "You know, Sam, it was crazy enough when we found out that vampires were real. Now you're telling me that you're a shape shifter, something I never even imaged existed...and that's on top of having one of our best friends turn out to be a serial killer, a bunch of murders ... It just seems like life in this town has taken a whole left turn and fallen down Alice's rabbit hole. I keep having to change gears. The whole world is nothing like it was just two years ago."

"Well, you're taking it better than I thought you would."

"Yeah. Me too."

...

Bill held Sookie. She was beginning to wake, and he was hoping that tonight would be better for her than the previous one. She still was hurting, but he didn't feel it was as bad as before. It figured that Eric had shown up just as Sookie was having a particularly difficult time. He had a knack for inconvenient timing.

Eric's reaction regarding the changes in his blood bond with Sookie was troubling. Bill didn't have a clue why Sookie's connection to Eric was as unusual as it was, and he was sure there would be trouble. But that was a worry for another time. Right now, he had to concentrate on helping her get through this...this whatever it was.

Sookie finally woke, but didn't move or speak immediately. He could feel her weariness through the bond. He resisted the urge to hug her tightly, knowing how much she still hurt, so stroked her skin gently instead and turned to kiss her forehead. He would wait to move until she was more awake.

...

If she didn't move, it didn't hurt so much. _I'm so sick of all this..._ She couldn't stay still forever, though. Immobility brought it's own pain, and eventually she would have to use the bathroom, anyway. _Oh geeze, I wish I hadn't thought about that..._

"Sookie?"

"Yeah...?" Her voice was a hoarse whisper.

"How's the pain, Sweetheart?"

"It's..it's..." Sookie's voice broke and she had a fit of coughing that ended in a groan. "Oh Lord."

"The sun's gone down. I think I should get you out of here."

She cleared her throat. "Where are we, Bill?"

"My resting place."

"Under the floor?"

"Yes."

"But we're in bed..."

"I couldn't have you on the hard ground, and I had no intention of leaving you alone at sunrise."

"Oh."

"I'll tell you all about it when you're feeling better."

Bill opened the trap door and climbed out, opening the outer door. He lifted Sookie from beneath the floor and carried her upstairs to the bathroom and helped her use the toilet. When she was finished, she stood cautiously. She was too shaky and dizzy to stand by herself, and Bill held her to support her and keep her from falling.

"I can't believe you have to help me use the bathroom. It's so embarrassing."

"Don't worry about it, Sweetheart." He kissed her forehead.

"I'm sticky and sweaty, and I don't even want to know what I look like."

Bill smiled. "You look fine."

She looked up at him. "Well, I know you're lying, but I appreciate the thought." She wrinkled her nose. "Eww. My mouth tastes horrible and I stink. This is just awful, Bill. How can you even stand to be around me?"

"You forget...when I grew up, we had no indoor plumbing and an outhouse was state-of-the-art. You'd wouldn't even make the list of the worst odors I've encountered."

"Well, maybe you can stand it, but I can't..."

Bill sat her down on the closed toilet and brushed her hair from her face. "It's easy enough to remedy. Let me run you a bath."

"Oh geeze, the thought of a hot soak and getting clean sounds just wonderful."

"I thought it might."

Bill filled the big, claw-foot tub, then helped Sookie out of her nightgown and lifted her into the tub. He could see the hot water begin to ease her soreness as soon as she got in, and she sighed as she leaned back.

"Oh God, Bill...I don't think hot water ever felt this good in my whole life."

Bill just smiled at her and watched as the lines of pain in her face relaxed for the first time in two days. Kneeling at the end of the tub, he gently leaned Sookie forward and began to sponge her back, then bathed her. When he was done, he pulled the hand-held shower nozzle from its bracket, turned on the water, checked the temperature, and then began to wash her hair. He massaged the shampoo into her hair, methodically kneading her scalp and working down her neck to loosen the muscle spasms there. He rinsed her hair, then pulled her back against the tub. Bill moved around to the side of the tub.

"Feel better?"

"Lord, yes. You're wonderful." She looked over at him and reached for his hand. "Are you getting in?"

"No. You need to relax, and I don't think I could keep my hands off you long enough to do so. Perhaps later?" Sookie smiled, and it was all the answer Bill needed. She closed her eyes and let the steaming water soak into her muscles.

...

Sam knocked on the front door to the old house. He didn't have to wait long; Bill answered almost immediately.

"Sam...come in."

"Howdy Bill. I brought you some blood. I figured you'd be staying pretty close to home and might need it. How's Sookie?"

"Better. She's in the living room. Why don't you come in and say hello?"

Bill took the synthetic blood from Sam and went to the kitchen. Sam walked into the room and found Sookie dozing on the sofa. She opened her eyes slowly as Sam called her name.

"Sookie? How y'all doing, chere?"

"Hey Sam... " Sookie's voice was a hoarse and she spoke quietly. She sat up, pulling the quit up, and shivered. Bill came from the kitchen with a beer for Sam and a hot chocolate for Sookie.

Sam asked, "You cold? It's got to be 80 degrees, Sook."

She looked up at Bill as she took the cup from him, and held it in both hands. "Yeah. I get this stupid fever that keeps coming back, and afterward I get really, really cold. Bill's put me in a hot tub twice today. I'm gonna use up all his hot water at the rate I'm going."

Bill settled himself on the sofa next to Sookie and put his arm around her. "That won't happen – tankless water heater."

Sookie looked at him. "Yeah, you vampires sure do love your hot water."

"Well, you looked a damned sight better than you did last time I saw you," said Sam. "How's your headache?"

"Better. Since Bill got me out of the hospital I don't hurt so much, thank goodness."

"Everybody at the bar says hello."

"I'm so sorry, Sam. I didn't mean to worry everybody. I should have just gone home instead of waiting for Arlene."

"Don't worry about it. As long as you're better, it's OK. Tara's been giving me fits, though. She wants to visit in the worst way, and she's mad as hell at me, besides."

"Why's she mad at you?"

"Well, she got to nagging me about why I could be around you and she couldn't. She just wouldn't let up...you know how she gets."

Sookie nodded in agreement.

"I just got all flustered and let it slip I was a shifter. So she showed up at my place and about knocked it over banging on the door. She wouldn't leave 'til I explained."

Bill asked, "How'd she take it?"

"Really well, which surprised all hell out of me. But she thought I was crazy at first. Wouldn't believe a word unless I shifted right there in front of her."

"You're kidding..." Sookie's eyes opened wide as she looked at Sam over the rim of her cup.

"So tell me. All y'all heard from that healer yet?"

Shaking his head, Bill said, "No. I called her to tell her the latest on Sookie. She said her brother-in-law was making progress, and they'd probably have some news for us in a few days. She didn't want to say any more until they verified the results of the tests."

"What's Sookie supposed to do in the meantime?"

"Bill's keeping me here..."

"Dr. Ludwig wants me to keep Sookie absolutely isolated for now, away from everyone."

"...so I guess I won't be working for a while, Sam."

"That's fine, Sook. You just get better. I'll keep everybody posted, especially Tara, so they'll know what's going on and won't be pestering you." Sam stood. "I'm gonna head home. You two let me know if you need anything, and I'll run it out for you. So, you make sure to call me any time. OK?"

Sookie nodded and said, "OK, Sam."

Sam leaned over and kissed her on the top of the head. Bill got up from the sofa. "Sookie, I'm going to walk Sam to his car. Will you be all right for a moment?"

"I'll be fine, Bill. Go on."

...

Bill and Sam walked to Sam's car and stood for a moment in silence, then Sam spoke.

"She looks bad, Bill."

Bill looked him in the eye, and Sam could see the pain there. "I know, Sam. She's getting worse. The fevers are more frequent, and each time they last longer and take more out of her."

"Is she still hurtin'?"

"Yes. Even away from everybody. And she has no appetite. I've been trying to get calories into her..."

"That explains the hot chocolate."

"Yes."

"What about your blood, Bill? Can you give her your blood?"

"I have. It seems to be slowing down whatever is going on, but not stopping it." Bloody tears began to form in his eyes. "I'm afraid, Sam. I'm losing her."


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43

After another bout of fever followed by chills, Bill helped Sookie from the tub. She leaned on him shakily in the steamy room as he dried her and wrapped her in a warm robe. Sookie wasn't sure how much more of this she could take. It seemed to take longer for her mind to clear after each episode, and they were occurring more often. She couldn't think. The only reason she hadn't given up completely was Bill.

Carrying her downstairs and into the living room, Bill settled Sookie on the sofa and wrapped the quilt around her. He went into the kitchen and returned with a mug of hot chocolate.

"Here, Sweetheart. Drink this."

She looked up at him wearily. "Oh geeze, Bill. I'm about chocolated out."

Putting the cup on the table, Bill sat down and wrapped his arm around her. "We need to get something into you, Sookie. You're not eating much at all."

"I just don't want anything."

She leaned against him, resting for a few moments. Bill could feel her beginning to tremble, the warning sign that another spate of chills was on its way.

"Sookie, the chills are coming back." She didn't answer, and he could feel her fatigue. "At least take some blood, Sweetheart. It will help." She nodded, and Bill withdrew his arm from her shoulder so he could roll up his sleeve. Biting into his wrist, he lifted it to her mouth. Sookie drank from the wound momentarily, then stopped and pulled away. Bill put his mouth on the wound until it closed, then attended to Sookie. She sat with her eyes closed, and he put his arm around her again and held her. She was no longer trembling, but even so, she was too exhausted even to lick the blood from her lips. He kissed her softly, then gently licked her mouth clean. By the time he had finished, Sookie was asleep again. Bill stretched his long legs out on the coffee table, and Sookie slept with her head pillowed on his thighs. He ran his fingers through her hair and sat quietly, unable to stop worrying about his human.

...

Fatigue had its effects on Sookie's sleep, as well. She had stopped dreaming completely now, so it took a moment for her mind to register the sound of a ringing phone and a voice. She heard footsteps and felt a hand softly stroke her cheek, and only then did she realize that she was no longer sleeping.

"Sookie, wake up..."

Bill helped her to sit, and she curled her legs beneath her and pulled the quilt higher. He sat next to her, and she leaned into him as he put his arm around her.

"Who called, Bill?"

"It was Dr. Ludwig. They have some answers for us. She and Joe will be by tomorrow night to explain what they found."

She shivered .

"Are you cold again?"

"No. I'm scared. I don't think it's going to be very good news."

"We don't know that, Sweetheart. But even if it is, we'll deal with it." Bill could feel her uneasiness. "Do you want me to call Tara?"

"Would you, Bill? And Sam too. I'd feel better if they were here with us tomorrow."

...

The night was especially dark, in spite of the waxing moon. A summer storm was sluggishly pushing its way through the area, the clouds blocking the moonlight and hiding the stars. The air was sticky with humidity and oppressive. Even the crickets and cicadas seemed too miserable to sing.

Sam drove through the muggy night in silence until Tara spoke.

"So tell me again, why am I coming with you tonight?"

"Bill asked us come by. The healer is coming and Sookie want us there when she gets the news, whatever it is."

"She sounds nervous."

"According to Bill, she is."

"Me being there is going to make her hurt."

"Probably."

"I haven't seen here for nearly a week, since she went to the hospital. How's she doing, Sam, really?"

Sam could hear the worry in Tara's voice. He glanced at her, then turned his attention back to the road. "Not good. I should warn you, Tara. She looks bad. Y'all are going to have to control yourself."

"What good will that do? She'll hear what I'm thinking, anyway."

"No, she won't. She's not getting much of anything right now except noise."

"Oh." Tara was silent for a moment. "You think Bill's taking care of her OK?"

"Yeah...yeah, I do." Sam shook his head, displaying his disbelief. "I never would have imagined it. She's so shaky, Tara, she can hardly stand. Bill feeds her, bathes her, even helps her to the bathroom."

"Really?"

"Really."

"What about daytime?"

"Sook says he's got a bed or a mattress or something rigged up in his hiding place, where ever that is. She spends most of the time sleeping anyway, so she stays with him during the day."

"It must be making her crazy. She really hates not being able to do for herself."

"Well, if she was feeling better, it might. But right now, I don't think she cares much."

Sam pulled into the drive and gestured to Tara. "Tara, grab that bag in the back seat for me, will you?"

"Sure thing, Sam." Tara took the bag from the back while Sam went to the rear of the vehicle and hauled out a case of TruBlood. As they climbed the stairs to the porch, the door opened. "Sam...Tara. I heard you drive up."

"Are the Ludwigs here yet?" asked Sam.

"They're on their way."

Sam walked into the kitchen and put the case on the counter. "I brought a few things I thought Sookie might need, Bill..." He nodded toward Tara. "...and some blood."

"Thanks, Sam." Bill took the bag from Tara and set it aside. He then opened a couple of bottles of synthetic blood and put them in the microwave.

"Where is she?" asked Tara.

"She's in the living room. She's been napping on and off."

"Is it OK if I go in?"

"Of course. She'll be glad to see you, Tara."

Sam watched as Tara left the kitchen. The microwave pinged, and Bill removed the now-warm blood. He chugged one, started on the second, and Sam's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "How long you been out of blood, Bill?"

"A day or so."

"Y'all should've called. I told you to call me if you needed anything."

"I didn't even think of it. I've been preoccupied."

"Well, don't forget next time. Sookie needs you."

Bill nodded and picked up the bag from the counter. "Get a couple of beers for you and Tara, will you, Sam? I'm going to put these away."

...

When Tara walked into the living room, Sookie was sleeping on one of the sofas and covered with a quilt. She sat on the table and looked at her friend, and worried. Over the last week since Bill had taken her out of the hospital, Sookie hadn't been eating. The vampire had done his best to encourage her, but she'd simply had no interest in food. As a consequence, Sookie had lost weight and looked gaunt as well as ill. Her complexion was gray, and the bones of her face were prominent. Tara reached over and took Sookie's hand, and she was surprised at how hot and dry her fingers were. She called her name softly.

"Sookie?"

Sookie's eye's opened slowly, and it took a moment for her to focus. "Hey Tara..."

Tara opened her mouth to speak, but Sookie had drifted off again. She got up off the table and met Sam as he came out of the kitchen and handed her a beer. They both turned as a knock sounded at the front door.

Bill came down the stairs and opened the door to the younger Dr. Ludwig, showing him into the living room. He woke Sookie and helped her sit up, then sat down beside her. Joseph Ludwig sat opposite them on the other sofa and motioned Sam and Tara to sit.

Joe looked at Sookie and said, "I'm sorry, Margaret won't be coming. She has other things she needs to do tonight."

"Did you find anything?" Bill asked.

"Well, yes and no. We finally know what's going on, and what to do about it, but why it's happening is another matter."

With a hoarse whisper, Sookie asked, "So can you fix whatever is wrong with me?"

Joey looked directly at Sookie. "Yes. Maggie's making arrangements to treat you tomorrow. That's why she's not here. You need to fast until then. You can have water, but don't overdo it."

Sookie nodded, leaning against Bill, who had a question of his own. "What, exactly, does this treatment entail?"

Looking down, Joe seemed uncomfortable. He was silent for just a moment, then said, "We have to break Ms. Stackhouse's blood bonds."

Tara exclaimed, "Oh _hell_ no!"

Bill was angry. "Dr. Ludwig said it was dangerous."

"It is, but we don't have a choice, Mr. Compton. It's either that, or she's as good as dead." He turned to Sookie and said, "There's a lot of technical jargon, Ms. Stackhouse, but to put it as simply as possible, you're undergoing a massive rejection of tissue."

"Tissue? What tissue?" asked Sam.

"Vampire blood. Her body is rejecting it." He leaned forward, elbows on knees, looking directly at Sookie. "Look, you've heard of organ transplants. Most times, in spite of the best tissue match that can be made, the patient's body will reject the organ without immunosuppressive drugs. That's similar to what is happening with you. The difference is that the vampire blood you've ingested is spread throughout your body. By now it's everywhere. Your immune system is in overdrive because of it, and your body is attacking itself. It's shutting down, and in this case immunosuppression isn't an option. If we don't break the bond, you won't survive."

Bill was solemn. "My blood did this to her?"

"No. As a matter of fact, this immune response in Ms. Stackhouse has made a mess of her blood chemistry. Maggie and I think that's the reason her blood changed you, Mr. Compton. No, it was vampire blood, but not yours."

The realization suddenly blossomed; his face became a mask of rage and his fists clenched. "_Eric._"

Sookie reached for his hand. "Bill..." He turned to her and, after a moment of hesitation, calmed himself and withdrew his fangs.

Joey spoke again. "Yes, it was the Viking's blood that did this, but it could have been any vampire..." He shook his head and gestured to Bill. "Except yours."

Sam had been silent, considering what he had heard, but was still confused. "So, when he tricked her into taking his blood in Dallas, that's what made her sick?"

He looked up at Sam and answered. "Yes. It wasn't the bombing that caused her symptoms; that was just coincidental." He looked at Bill with a wan smile. "Maggie's pissed as hell at you, Mr. Compton. This would have been a whole lot easier to figure out if you weren't involved. She's been swearing pretty much nonstop the last couple of days." Turning to Sookie, he continued. "Ms. Stackhouse, we ran tests on your blood, Mr. Compton's blood, the Viking's blood, and samples Margaret had on hand from other vampires. Then we got hold of other healers for samples from them. No matter where the blood was from, your blood reacted to it violently – except for Mr. Compton's. Why that is, we have no idea. You should have had the same reaction to Mr. Compton's blood that you did to other vampire blood, but you didn't – and you still don't. That's why it took so long to verify. We kept rerunning the tests, thinking we had missed something or made an error. It's also what I meant when I said we know what's happening, but not why."

"But Sookie could die from breaking the blood bond, right?" Tara's face showed the anxiety she felt.

"That's right," said Joey.

Sookie spoke, in a voice so quiet that it was difficult to hear. "What if Bill just turns me?"

Bill and her friends all spoke at once, protesting Sookie's suggestion, but Joey interrupted. "No. It won't work."

"Why?"

"We used your blood, but we also tested the blood from your uniform. It was dried, old...essentially dead, but we got the same reactions as we did from the fresh sample. Turning you won't solve the problem, and there's a good chance it would just make it worse. Otherwise, I would have suggested it as an option."

"So, this really is the only chance she has?" asked Tara.

"I'm afraid so." Dr. Ludwig got up and began searching his pockets. "Let me give you the address, and we'll see you first thing in the morning."

"No."

He turned. "I'm sorry. Did you say 'no'?"

"It will have to wait until tomorrow night. I want Bill there."

"Well, sooner would be better, but I understand. Joe pulled a card from his pocket and handed it to Sookie, and she took it from him with shaking fingers. "Ms. Stackhouse, I know Maggie's pretty rough around the edges, and she has a lousy bedside manner, but she is damned good at what she does, and I'd trust her with my life."

"What are my chances?"

"Honestly, I have no idea. Except for Mr. Compton's, you don't react to vampire blood like anybody else, so there's no telling how that might complicate matters. Then there's the fact that you're not in very good physical condition right now, and the odds aren't good in the best of circumstances. But if anybody can get you through it, it's Margaret." Joe focused his attention on Sookie. He was impressed with her desire to know the truth of what she was up against. "If Maggie says there's no other option, she means it. If you undergo the breaking of the blood bond, you may survive. But if you don't, well, you'll only have a few more weeks. I wish I had better news for you..."

The silence in the room was uncomfortable.

"I'll see you both tomorrow night." Joe let himself out, and they heard his car as it went down the drive.

...

The four of them sat mute in Bill's living room, mulling over the news, until Tara broke the silence.

"Goddamnmotherfuckin'sonofabitch _**SHIT**_!" She burst into tears and buried her face in her hands. Sam put his arm around her.

"Tara, calm down..."

"Don't you dare tell me to calm down, Sam! This just sucks..."

Sam pulled her from the couch and drug her out to the front porch. Once there, Tara yanked her arm from his grip. "You get your friggin' hands off me Sam Merlotte!"

"Damnit, Tara. SHUT UP. Sookie's got enough on her plate right now without you losing it in front of her."

"Sam, this could be the last time we even see her alive..."

"You don't think I know that? You don't think _Bill_ knows that? You think _Sookie _doesn't know? She asked about being turned, for God's sake."

"But what are we gonna' do, Sam?"

"There ain't a damned thing we can do except make things as easy for her as we can. That means we have to hold ourselves together in front of her. If y'all are gonna' lose it, do it after we leave."

...

"Hey Bill?"

Looking up from where Sookie slept on his lap, Bill saw Sam standing in the foyer, holding open the front door. "Yes, Sam?"

"Tara and I are gonna take off so Sook can get some rest before tomorrow. Give her our love and tell her we'll see her afterward, OK?"

"I'll do that."

The front door closed softly, leaving Bill to think. Carefully, so not to wake Sookie, Bill reached in his pockets for his cell phone and wallet. He pulled a scrap of paper from his wallet and made a call, leaving a voicemail. Dropping his phone and his wallet on the floor next to the sofa, he settled himself, then pulled the quilt around Sookie's shoulders to keep her from getting chilled.

He was trying not to think too much about what the next night would bring. He didn't know why Sookie wanted to put off a treatment that could take away her pain, even as dangerous as it was. She'd simply said that she wanted him there. He was grateful, although he had to admit it was selfish to be so. It would be easier for him to be there than to wait in his resting place throughout the day, wondering what was happening. Still, if Sookie woke before dawn, he would ask her to reconsider and have the treatment in the morning and not put it off. He was sure that Sam would take her to the clinic, and she would be in good hands with him. For now, though, there was nothing he could do but stay with Sookie until she woke. With one hand resting on her shoulder, and leaning his head on his other hand, Bill took the opportunity to sleep. He had a feeling that he would need to be well rested, whatever happened tomorrow.

...

When Sookie woke, she felt a little better. Bill was stretched out on the sofa, his head pillowed on the arm rest, and she lay on top of him with her head resting on his chest and his arms wrapped around her. It was almost worth feeling so bad to feel so loved and protected. She reached a hand out from under the quilt to stroke his cheek.

"Did you rest well, Ms. Stackhouse?" He spoke softly into her hair.

"Yeah, I did. I guess now that I know something it's a bit easier. I don't feel like there's some unknown doom hanging over my head."

"Now it's a known doom."

"I don't know why that's better, but somehow it is."

"The unknown is always worse. It's the uncertainty, I think."

"Mm hmm."

"Sookie, why don't you have it done in the morning? It will be over sooner. You won't hurt so much."

"I want you there, Bill"

"Sweetheart, there's nothing I can do for you that Sam can't do. You could be done and feeling better that much sooner."

"No. Help me sit up, will you, Bill?"

Keeping his arms around her, Bill sat up, the weight of her body on his was almost inconsequential compared to his strength. He made sure she was comfortable and well wrapped, then turned sideways to look her in the eye. "You have some mischief planned, Ms. Stackhouse."

"Yeah, I do, but it's not what you think."

Bill remained silent, his question expressed solely by the lifting of an eyebrow.

"I know all'yall were pretty upset when I asked Dr. Ludwig about you turning me..."

"I can't speak for the others, Sweetheart, but I know full well that you have no desire to be a vampire. To say I was surprised would be an understatement."

"Still, I know that there's a part of you that wants it, Bill. And that's OK. It's just that vampire part of you, and I told you, I love that part, too."

"I thought I'd managed to hide it better than that."

"You did, really. But I pay attention. Tara calls it 'that Jekyll-and-Hyde thing he's got going on.' "

"And what do you call it?"

"Me? I kind of think of it as your own personal Civil War... between the human and the vampire parts of you."

"I never would have called it that, but having been in the War, it's a remarkably apt analogy." Bill put his hand under her chin and stroked her cheek with his thumb. "What's all this about, Sookie?"

"Well, I really want you there, Bill. I know it's kind of selfish..." Bill smiled, remembering his earlier internal soliloquy. "...but I just feel safer with you around."

"All right."

"But there's something else I want."

"What's that, Sweetheart?" Sookie hesitated, looking away, and Bill could see and feel that whatever it was, it was troubling her greatly. Taking her hands in his, he said, "Just say it, Sookie."

"I... oh geeze, Bill, I don't know a good way to say this." She looked up at him. "I... I want you to drain me."

"What? Sookie, why would you ask me to do that?"

"Please, don't be mad."

"I'm not angry with you, Sweetheart. I don't know what I am feeling, exactly, but I'm not angry."

"I really want this, Bill. I'm scared. Dr. Ludwig said one of the hard parts of breaking a blood bond is knowing when enough blood has been drained to actually break the bond. Would you drain me? You'll be able to feel it the minute it's broken."

"I don't have to drain you to feel that." He could feel how much this meant to her. Smiling, he kissed her gently. "I would be honored, Ms. Stackhouse."

Relieved, Sookie said, "Good. 'Cause you always said my blood tastes good, and you might as well enjoy yourself because otherwise they're just gonna wash it all down the sink..."

Laughing, Bill wrapped his arms around her

...

Sookie was nestled in Bill's arms in the big tub. He had insisted on a long, hot, leisurely soak, convincing Sookie it was just the thing, accompanied by a good night's sleep, to prepare her for Dr. Ludwig's ministrations the next evening. Sookie had to admit, the dead man knew what he was talking about.

"A penny for your thoughts, Sweetheart."

"I was just thinking about that war you have going on inside you. I don't know if I can explain it very well, but this treatment will give you a chance to have your fantasy Bill."

"_My_ fantasy?"

"Yeah. You get to satisfy that vampire part of you. You get to drain me without turning me. We'll never get another chance like this." Sookie blushed, causing Bill to smile. "And... well, I've kind of wondered what it would feel like, myself. I just wish I wasn't so sick so we could take advantage of it. The thought of you draining me is kind of hot."

"Why Ms. Stackhouse. You have quite the erotic imagination." He shook his head. Once again, Sookie had found something good in a dismal situation. Her optimism was beginning to be contagious. He suddenly felt a glimmer of hope regarding the dangerous procedure his human would undergo in the next 24 hours.


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44

_So this is his place..._ Liz pulled into the gravel-covered lot of Merlotte's as the early morning light made long shadows of the trees. Shutting off the engine of her car, she sat for a minute and looked the place over, grateful to have an excuse to be there. _'...not too fancy...kind of casual...' He described it exactly. Still, it's a nice place..._ She spoke to herself aloud. "Well, you'd better get in there, Marine, before you lose your nerve."

Sam was leaning on the bar, his back to the door and a phone to his ear when Liz walked in, and she caught one side of the ongoing conversation.

"Yep. I'll let you know as soon as I know anything...no...no... not a thing. You know how she is. If she finds out I even told you she'll knock me up side the head with a fryin' pan. OK. I trust your judgment. Her? No, not a thing. She's mad as hell at just about everybody in town, it seems, but mostly with Compton. All right. You too. Bye."

"You're lucky I'm not armed, Sam."

He turned with a start, then smiled when he saw who it was. "Liz! What in the world are you doing here? I didn't hear you come in." He hung up the phone.

"With the phone in your ear and your back to the door, it's no wonder. You'd have been easy pickings if I'd had evil intentions, Sam."

"You? Not a chance. There's not a nefarious bone in your body." Coming around the bar, he led her to a booth and gestured her to sit, sitting across from her. "What brings you all the way to Bon Temps?"

"I got a voicemail from that vampire friend of yours."

"From Bill? Why did he call you?"

"He said that they've found a way to treat Ms. Stackhouse, but that afterward she will need a nurse at home during the daytime. He said to see you, and you'd take me over to her place and get things squared away before she gets home tonight."

Sam was relieved Bill had thought of it. It hadn't even occurred to him that, if Sookie was recovering and not sleeping all day, she would need somebody with her in the daytime.

"Yeah...yeah he's right. I'm glad he thought of it. He's been taking care of her all by himself, and I never thought about her needing somebody in the daytime. As soon as the rest of the staff gets here, I'll take you over to Sookie's and get you settled in. Meanwhile, have you eaten? I can get you some breakfast."

"No thanks. I'm fine. I had a big breakfast early. I will take a cup of coffee, though." She paused as Sam got up from the booth.. "So Mr. Compton has been taking care of Ms. Stackhouse since she left the hospital? How's that going? It's a little difficult for me to imagine a vampire playing nurse."

Sam returned with two cups of strong, black coffee, one for each of them. As he sat down, he said, "You know, he surprised me. He's been taking real good care of her."

"And how are you doing?"

"Me? Well, I'm still worried about Sookie and this treatment she has to go through, but except for that I've been fine. It's real nice to see you again, but why'd Bill decide call you?"

"He was so adamant about taking Ms. Stackhouse out of the hospital that day, and I was sure it was a mistake. I gave him my number and told him to call me if she needed a nurse. I really didn't think he would, though."

"Yeah? Y'all didn't give me your number."

"I didn't know you wanted it."

Sam grinned. "Well hell, yeah. It ain't every day I meet a pretty Marine. That's just too good to pass up."

"Are you trying to flatter me again, Sam?"

"Yep. Is it working?"

Liz smiled in spite of herself. "It might be."

"Good. Because before we leave for Sookie's place, I plan to ask you for your number myself."

"Now, why should I give you my number Sam? I hardly know you."

"Well, it'd be pretty hard for me to call to ask you out without it."

Liz sipped her coffee to buy time to consider. _He really is cute..._

"Y'all stalling for time to answer, Liz?"

She laughed. "As a matter of fact, I am."

Sam grinned at her. "Well, that's good. You didn't say 'no' right off, and if you're thinking about it, that means you might say 'yes.'"

Shaking her head, she put down her cup and reached over to pull a pen from Sam's shirt pocket. She wrote her phone number on a napkin, then put down the pen and slid both it and the napkin across the table to him. "Why Mr. Merlotte, I do think you've managed to charm me."

"I'm just oozing charm, Liz. Ask anybody."

...

Sookie was alone when she woke to sunlight pushing its way past the curtains. She was disoriented, and it took her some moments before she recognized where she was. _Gran's room..._ Her mouth was dry and she was a little queasy, but the pain that had been an unrelenting part of her life for the past several weeks had disappeared. She didn't exactly feel herself, but just to be free of the headaches was wonderful. _Oh thank you, God... I'm not dead and I don't hurt..._ Her thoughts turned to Bill. This was the first time she had been away from him in many days, and she missed waking up in his arms. She felt more than just alone... she felt incomplete somehow, though she couldn't say why. _I'll figure it out later._ She groaned aloud as she tried to rise from the bed. "Oh God..."

"Miss Stackhouse?"

Sookie looked up with bleary eyes to find a stranger coming through the bedroom doorway. Her straight, dark hair was bluntly cut and ended just below her jaw line, it's rich brown exactly the color of her dark brown eyes. She wore no makeup, but her fair complexion hardly needed it. About average height, her well-formed figure was clad in jeans and a black tank top, a stethoscope draped around her neck. She wore white sneakers and moved quickly to Sookie's side.

"Who are you?" Sookie asked in a raspy voice, as the woman helped her to sit up.

Liz supported Sookie while she placed pillows behind her to keep her upright.

"I'm Liz. I was your nurse in the ICU. Mr. Compton arranged for me to care for you during the daytime."

"Bill? ...Oh, right... the sun."

She lifted Sookie's wrist and took her pulse. "How are you feeling?"

"I don't know. Kind of all used up, I guess."

"I understand from Sam that your treatment required a complete blood replacement. Did it work?"

"Yeah...yeah, I think it did. How do you know Sam?"

"I met him at the hospital. Apparently, he rode in the ambulance with you when you were brought in."

"He did? I don't remember that."

'That's not surprising. You were unconscious for quite some time. By the time I got on duty, Mr. Compton was at your bedside and Sam and the others were in the waiting room." Finished with her pulse, Liz took the stethoscope from her neck and placed it in her ears, listening to Sookie's heart and lungs.

"The others?"

"Mm hmm. Your friends Tara and Lafayette." She finished examining Sookie and replaced the stethoscope around her neck. "They care for you quite a lot. Not one of them would leave until you did."

Sookie looked at her in silence as Liz removed the dressing from her transfusion sites and checked the wounds. She was struck by how fortunate she was to have such good friends. "How long was I in the hospital?"

"It was almost two days."

"Really? "

"Yes. Your friend Mr. Compton was there nearly as long. He arrived shortly after dark the day you arrived and, once he got to your room, he spent the entire time at your bedside."

"But how could he? I mean, didn't he leave by sunrise?"

"No, he didn't."

Sookie again was silent. She didn't remember much about being in the hospital, but she remembered two things – Bill holding her hand and helping her sip some water. Everything else was obscured by the pain she had been in. Suddenly exhausted, she leaned back against the pillows.

"I was hoping I'd feel better than this after Dr. Ludwig got done."

"You will."

"Is this from the transfusion?"

"No. When Mr. Compton brought you home, he told me that you had been in too much pain since leaving the hospital to eat much, and even before that you hadn't much of an appetite. That definitely will make you weak. You can start eating today, but we'll have to be careful and take it slowly. Meanwhile, you probably need to use the bathroom. Would you like me to help you?"

"Oh, yeah, that would be nice. I think I can manage the bathroom OK, but I feel a little too weak to walk by myself yet."

...

Liz answered the door when she heard the knock, and found Bill at the threshold. "Mr. Compton."

"Liz...How's Sookie?" he asked quietly as he entered.

"She's napping. She's pretty worn out, but she's going to be just fine. She's basically healthy, and once we get her diet back up to normal you'll never know she was ill."

Bill smiled, and Liz returned it. "I can see you're relieved."

"I am."

"Well, since you're here, I'm going to head out to Merlotte's for dinner and then get some rest. If you need me, give me a call. Otherwise, I'll be back a little before dawn."

"We'll be fine, Liz. Thank you."

Liz left, and Bill heard her car go down the drive as he walked to where Sookie lay sleeping in her grandmother's room. Sitting carefully on the bed, he stroked her hair and took her hand in the dim light that spilled in from the livingroom. Sookie stirred, opening her eyes to see him smiling down at her.

"Bill..."

"How are you, Sweetheart?"

"Help me up, Bill."

Bill lifted her to a sitting position, and she wrapped her arms around him and leaned on his chest. Bill returned her embrace.

"I'm tired, frustrated, and lonely. I'm still too shaky to move around or do much of anything, and I missed waking up with you."

"You'll be yourself in no time. Liz said your only problem now is getting you to eat."

"I can't even do that right. She told me that if I tried to eat normally now, I'd get all kinds of complications. She called it 'feeding'... no, 'refeeding syndrome' or something. I never even heard of it before."

"Neither have I. But then, until you became a part of my life, I hadn't thought about eating in decades."

"God, I missed you today, Bill."

"Well, I'm here now. What can I do for you, Sookie?"

"Could you get me out of here? I've been stuck inside for ages and I'm about to go stir crazy."

"Where would you like to go?"

"Can we go out to our tree, Bill? I just have to get some air."

"Of course. "

...

Sookie nestled in Bill's arms as he carried her effortlessly through the graveyard and to his home. Just being with him was wonderful, and she was so glad that she didn't hurt anymore and could enjoy his presence. Neither of them said a word until Bill sat her on the quilt beneath the tree and joined her.

"You're awfully quiet, Sweetheart."

"I'm just enjoying it all." He opened his arms and drew her close, and Sookie took a deep breath. "It's the first time since Dallas that I haven't hurt."

Bill smiled. "I'm glad to hear that."

Sookie smiled back at him, and Bill was delighted to see her face light up.

"I wish I wasn't so worn out though. You haven't made love to me in ages."

"It couldn't be helped, Sookie. You were in so much pain, and over the last few weeks it just kept getting worse."

"Still...would you help me undress, Bill? I just want to hold you. I miss feeling your skin next to mine."

Without a word, Bill helped her remove her clothing, then removed his own. Leaning against the oak, he lifted Sookie onto his lap, face to face as she preferred, and wrapped his arms around her. The minimal energy that Sookie expended getting undressed nevertheless made her short of breath, and she had to rest against Bill for several minutes. He ran his fingers softly over her bare skin to soothe her, and slowly her breathing returned to normal and her heartbeat slowed.

"A penny for them, Bill..."

"My thoughts? I was thinking about Dr. Ludwig's treatment, and how frightened I was."

"You were afraid?"

"I was. We didn't know if you would survive. I might never have seen you again, Sookie."

"I was scared, too. If you hadn't been there I would have jumped off that table and run away."

"You hadn't the energy."

"I would have tried, though. I kept watching you. As long as you were there and I could see you, I could go through with it."

Bill was silent for several minutes. "I didn't realize how difficult it would be. I was so worried about you. When I felt our bond disappear... I thought my heart would break."

"I didn't feel it."

"You were unconscious from the blood loss by that time."

"When I first woke up in Gran's room it felt like something was wrong, and I've been trying to figure it out ever since. I think I'm missing our blood bond."

"I know I am. When I arrived tonight, I had to ask Liz how you were because I didn't know."

"Liz says she was my nurse at the hospital."

"She was."

"She seems to know what she's doing. I felt like I could trust her right off."

"She's an exceptional woman, Sookie. There was some difficulty in the hospital getting the staff to treat you."

"Really? How come?"

"I couldn't bring myself to leave you in the condition you were in, but the staff in the ICU wouldn't come near you while I was there. I considered leaving and asking Sam to stay with you, but then Liz came on duty and she had no problem with me being there at all. She just walked into the room and took care of you."

"She said you stayed by me the whole time. Even during the day."

"I did."

"You shouldn't have done that, Bill. Something might have happened to you."

"I couldn't leave you."

"Why?"

"You have to ask why? Because I love you, Sookie."

"If you love me, you have to take better care of yourself, Bill Compton. I've already been through you being out in daylight once and I thought I'd lost you. I couldn't go through that again."

"There was no danger. There were no windows in the ICU, or even anywhere near it."

"Still..."

"Let's not talk about it now, Sweetheart. Nothing happened to me. And now that you're better, I just want to be with you."

"All right. But I want to talk about it later."

"Yes, Miss Stackhouse."

Bill brought his hands to Sookie's face and held it gently, then kissed her. Sookie responded in kind, her arms around him. For the first time since Eric had deceived her in Dallas, she was able to kiss Bill without the nagging thought that Eric was aware of her every move. Finally, she and Bill were truly alone.

Bill kissed her slowly and gently, reveling in the feel of her soft, full lips against his. Even without the presence of the blood bond, she was intoxicating. Every odor that came from her was enticing. He loved the smell of her skin, her hair, and her sweat. He loved the smell of her arousal as her body responded even in her weakened state. He was enthralled with the taste of her kiss. She tasted of toothpaste and lemonade, strawberry Jell-O and wheat toast with butter. Every aspect of this woman was a feast of the senses, and in the midst of their kiss he silently thanked God for her.

For Sookie, this was new for her. In all the time she had known Bill, this was the first time she had kissed him without the influence of the blood bond. The undercurrent of their connection, which before had always been present, was now gone and she was curious. What would Bill's kiss be like when it was just him, alone, without any supernatural influence? She was delighted to find that Bill's kiss was still passionate, and in spite of her weariness she could feel her body respond. She was aching to trigger his fangs but resisted. This was as close to a human kiss as she had ever had with Bill, and she wanted to experience every nuance. She kissed him until she was forced to stop, breathless. She pulled away with a gasp and then rested on his shoulder, waiting for her breath to return and her heart to stop pounding.

Bill ran his fingers through her hair. "Are you OK Sookie? Was that too much?"

It took her a moment to find enough air to reply and, even when she did, he could feel the rapid pounding of her heart against his chest.

"Oh geeze..."

"I'm sorry..."

"No, don't be. That was... it was wonderful."

"I should have waited. It's too soon. You're not well yet."

"Were you this good a kisser when you were human, Bill?"

"What?"

"This was the first purely human kiss we've ever had. No blood bond, no fangs, no venom..."

"That never even occurred to me, but you're right. I didn't kiss you the first time until after you'd had my blood."

"And you had mine. I remember waking up and you licking blood from my head."

"That was presumptuous of me. But I'd never smelled blood like yours before."

"This is so nice... not having Eric in my head anymore. I just hated it. There wasn't anyplace I could get away from him. Even when I was alone I wasn't."

"You're more relaxed than I've seen you in a long time, Sookie."

"Yeah, well, there's just one thing missing."

"Oh?"

She sat up and looked him in the face, brushing his hair back from his forehead with one hand. "I want our bond back, Bill."

"Sookie, you just risked your life to be free of vampire influence. Give yourself a chance to adjust. You may not want it back."

"I won't change my mind. I miss knowing you're there even in the daytime. I miss the butterflies in my stomach when I feel you on your way to meet me."

"I do too, Sweetheart, but it's too soon."

"It's not..."

"Please, Sookie. I have my reasons for asking you to wait."

"What reasons, Bill?"

"You'll know soon enough. Just humor me, please? I'll explain it all very soon."

"Y'all are being awfully mysterious, Mr. Compton."

"There's no mystery. Trust me when I tell you it's for your benefit."

Sookie stared at him silently, a perplexed and disbelieving look upon her face. She couldn't fathom why he wanted her to wait, but she knew Bill loved her. Whatever his reasons, she could be certain that they weren't frivolous.

"Well, I guess I can wait. But not too long. I'm gonna' be on pins and noodles in the meantime."

He smiled. "Noodles?"

"Something Gran used to say when I was little."

Bill ran his hands over Sookie's skin, softly touching each of the wounds left by the blood replacement she had undergone the previous night. His smile disappeared and was replaced by a look of concern as his fingers touched the bruised area of her neck where a line had been placed into her jugular. He moved down to her arms, brushing the wounds where the IVs had been inserted into each of her radial arteries. Then his hand moved to her right groin to the purple, bruised area over her femoral artery where a rapid infuser line had been, and Sookie flinched.

"I'm sorry, Sookie. You look more battered now than when Rene attacked you."

"Yeah, well, 'cept for my leg, I don't hurt nearly as much as I did after he got done beatin' on me."

He touched the fang marks on her left groin. "Does this one hurt much?"

She smiled and lifted his face to hers. "No. That one doesn't hurt at all. And you didn't leave a bruise, either."

"Dr. Ludwig wasn't too pleased when you told her you wanted me to drain you."

"I thought I'd about die of embarrassment when she insisted on you feeding from there."

"It had to be done quickly, from a large artery. I'm sorry I embarrassed you."

"It wasn't you...it was everybody else watching us. I didn't like being exposed like that in front of them, even if they were all doctors."

"Mmm."

"Poor Joey..."

"Why 'poor Joey?'"

"Well, you were kind o' busy, draining me and all, but when your fangs came out he about jumped out of his skin. He even got a little pale when you bit me. I don't think he gets around vampires much."

"I think you're right about that."

Sookie's smile turned mischievous. "So, Mr. Compton...did you get enough to drink?"

"Sookie..." He looked uncomfortable.

"Oh come on, Bill. I really want to know. Now that you had a chance to drain me..." she leaned close and whispered. "...was it good for you?" At the look on Bill's face, she laughed aloud.

"I must confess, Miss Stackhouse, that in spite of the audience, you were very tasty."

"Good." She giggled as he shook his head in disbelief.

"I know I've said it before, but I really never know what to expect from you."

"But it _was_ funny, in spite of the embarrassment. I know you were preoccupied with feeding, but you should have seen Dr. Ludwig's face while you were drinking from me."

"I'm sorry I missed it. So, how did it feel? Was your curiosity satisfied?"

"Yeah, it was."

"And...?"

"And, when I'm back to normal, I sure would like you to bite me there again. But just us. No audience this time."

"As I recall, Miss Stackhouse, you scolded me the first time I mentioned it."

"I'd just met you then. You were being nasty."

"And now?"

Grinning, Sookie wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned close to whisper in his ear. "I think I'd like you being nasty to me occasionally."


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Hoyt trudged up the trail to the fire camp, sweating in the heat. He could hear Jason swearing before he had reached the top of the hill where their tent was. He paused and watched from outside the tent as Jason stuffed his belongings haphazardly into a backpack. He would have been better off in the shade but, the way his friend was hurling things around, he thought it wiser to stay out of the line of fire. It was hot and dusty in the camp, and the smell of smoke and unwashed bodies was a pungent counterpoint to the angry soliloquy coming from inside. Jason looked up and saw Hoyt outside the tent flap and swore.

"Y'all should'a told me, Hoyt!"

"I _did_ tell you."

"Y'all should'a told me sooner!"

"Gawl dang, Jason, if she'd wanted you to know, she would've told you herself, or asked somebody to do it for her. I'm gonna be in enough trouble with her as it is."

Jason stopped short and glared at his friend in frustration, punctuating his words with a pointed finger. "Sookie's the only family I got left. She almost died, and nobody even told me she was sick. You should never've kept it from me Hoyt!"

"Yeah? Well maybe if you bothered to keep in touch with her yourself, y'all would'a known. You never call her, and I don't think you even sent her a letter after that one. So don't y'all be telling me what I shouldve done."

Flustered, Jason's breath caught. Hoyt was right. He had neglected his sister, but even so, the realization didn't make him one whit less angry. "Well, I sure as hell know now! I'm goin' home. And if you're any friend to my sister at all, y'all'll come along, too."

"Jess and I already talked it over. Sam said Sookie had too many folks fussin' over her already and it was about to make her crazy. She didn't want no more, and if that's what she wants, that's what she's gonna get. Besides, I'm making good money at this job and I ain't going home 'til it's done."

"My sister's more important than damned money, Hoyt!"

Hoyt was getting exasperated at his inability to get through to his best friend. "Of course she is, you dumb ass... but I'm thinking of her, too!"

His comment seemed to get Jason's attention, and he stopped packing. "What're you talkin' 'bout?"

"It's been really awkward for Sookie and Bill to have Jess around all the time. By the time I get done with this job, I'll have enough money saved to put a down payment on a little place for us..."

Jason's surprise at Hoyt's answer completely derailed his anger. "You kidding me, Hoyt? Y'all're gonna set up house with a vampire?"

"I sure ain't goin' back to my momma's place. She just hates vampires and she's never gonna accept Jess. We're gonna move in together when we get back to Bon Temps. Soon as it's legal, I'm gonna ask her to marry me."

"You serious? What about kids, though, Hoyt? Didn't y'all always say you wanted some kids?"

"Kids don't mean nothin' to me unless their mine and Jessica's."

Jason dropped down onto his cot. "Wow. I never even thought about you gettin' married some day."

Hoyt, glad Jason's tantrum was over, gratefully entered the shade of the tent and sat on a camp chair across from him. "I never met the right girl until I met Jessica. She's the only one for me, vampire or not."

"Your momma's sure gonna have a fit."

"Fuck my momma."

Jason's eyebrows raised. Hoyt hardly ever cursed, and when he did, it was usually limited to "hell" or, when he was really angry, an occasional "damn." Jason was certain this was the first time he had ever heard Hoyt say "fuck," and he had _never_ heard him curse his mother.

"I ain't never heard you talk like that about your momma before."

"Yeah, well, I found out that she's been lying to me about my daddy my whole life. All this time I thought he died protecting us from a burglar, and turns out he shot himself and she lied to everybody about it so she could collect the insurance money. She kept tellin' me she was scared the burglar would come back so I'd stay with her. I never had a life of my own."

"Geeze...when did y'all find this out?"

"Just before Ewell called me up about this job. That's why I jumped on it. I swear, Jason, if I had to stay with her one more minute after finding out she'd been lying to me all those years, I just might'a done her like Rene."

...

Sookie leaned on the pass waiting for her order. It was slow in the bar, which worked to Sookie's advantage since it was just her first day back at work and it was taking her a little while to get back into her rhythm. She watched as Lafayette grilled a steak.

"So hooker, how's it feel to be back""

"It's good. I never thought I'd miss this place, but I was going out of my mind with boredom sitting at home. At least when I was sick I got to be with Bill, even during the day."

"No shit? Daytime too?"

"Yeah. It was nice." Sookie was silent a moment watching Lafayette before speaking again. "So, anything happen while I was off? I kinda missed all the gossip."

"Oh hell yes. In fact, y'all oughta tell that vampire of yours to watch his fine ass."

"Bill? Why?"

Lafayette lowered the fryer basket into the hot oil as he replied. "That old biddie Maxine Fortenberry found out that his baby vamp has been in California with Hoyt all this time and she's hoppin' mad. She tried to call Hoyt, but he won't take her calls. I hate to think what she's gonna do when he comes back with Jessica."

"How in the world did she find out?"

"Damned if I know. But you know how folks talk in this town." Grabbing a plate, he placed the perfectly grilled steak on a toasted roll and set it aside to wait for the fries to finish. "Ya'll better watch your back, too, Sook. She got plenty o' mad to spread around."

"Well, I guess that means things are back to normal. Seems like there's always somebody around here that's either mad at me, or scared of me, or thinking something nasty about me."

"Well, Sam sure ain't one of 'em. Fact, 'cept for worrying about you, he's been happy as a clam in three feet of mud." Lafayette stood watching the fryer with a sly smile on his face. He had something juicy to share, and he wasn't above stringing Sookie along.

"Really?"

"Yep."

"Oh c'mon, Lafayette. Don't make me beg. What's going on with Sam?"

Lafayette pulled the basket from the hot oil and set the fries aside to drain. Wiping his hands on his apron, he turned to the pass and leaned on his elbows, whispering to Sookie. "I think Sam's fallin' for your nurse."

"Liz?"

"Umm hmm. She was here every night for dinner while you was with that vampire of yours, and Sam sure 'nough did give her a lot of attention. He wouldn't even let her rent a room – insisted she stay at his trailer and he slept in the office."

"How about Liz? Did she seem interested?"

"Well, I done caught her blushing a time or two when he was chatting her up."

Sookie grinned. "I sure hope they hit it off. She's sweet as pie and Sam's been by himself too long."

"Me too. Life's a whole lot easier around here when the boss is in a good mood." Lafayette turned to the fryer and spilled the hot french fries onto the plate, then turned and put it up on the pass. "Meantime, y'all better get this order out. I'd hate to have anybody complaining to Sam about getting cold food just when he's starting to get tolerable."

...

Brother Bede sat in prayer in the monastery chapel, contemplating his dilemma and asking the saints to pray for him. His time in Metairie was ending, and he was scheduled to return to his duties in Rome within the week. Yet he could not shake the conviction that he was leaving too soon, that his Lord had more for him to do or learn before he returned to his position at the Vatican library. He thought of St. Therese, who had asked God "not to be a saint by halves." Brother Bede tried to imagine how she would have dealt with his problem, but simply could not.

His heart was heavy with the thought that no matter what he did, he would break a promise to God. He had spent his adult life doing his best to be a faithful servant, but he had also made a promise to Him be obedient to his superiors. Although reluctant to burden his brothers with his problem, he finally decided to seek out the abbot.

The monk made his way from the chapel and across the abbey, through the cloisters and out the back, following the sound of a strong tenor voice singing an Alleluia:

_In albis sedens angelus_  
_praedixit mulieribus:_  
_In Galilaea est Dominus. Alleluia _*

He followed the path through the kitchen garden and out the other side where the ground was poor and unworked. There he encountered the abbot, punctuating each line of the chant with the swing of a pick as he dug rock from the soil.

Fr. Dagobert was not what one expected in an abbot. He was tall and well muscled, with a clear strong voice and skin of deep ebony. More than 60, he was still blessed with much of the strength of his youth and moved with power and grace. Had he not given his life to God, he surely would have been noticed by the world. His mother and father had been well aware of both his potential and the temptations the world would hold for a handsome young man of his talents, and had encouraged him to consider a life of service to God. His Baptist parents had a strong love of God which they had passed on to their son.

Raised in New Orleans, he had grown up with tales of Pere Dagobert, the Catholic priest whose voice could occasionally be heard still singing the Kyrie on rainy mornings 200 years after his death. The young Anthony had been captivated by the legend of the unconventional priest and his care for the poor and disenfranchised of the city. Graduating from high school with a plans to follow the example of Pere Dagobert, he had converted to Catholicism and, when he had finished college, had entered the seminary for training to the priesthood. His parents had been disappointed in his choice only because they had hoped to be grandparents to his children someday, but were content to spoil his sisters' children. His family, though surprised by his conversion, were not surprised when he took the name of Dagobert upon his ordination.

"Mr. Thibodeux will be wondering why you're not using the Bobcat he brought to repair the wall, Father."

The abbot stopped his song and the pick in mid swing at Brother Bede's comment, and looked up. "The Good Lord said we'd earn our bread by the sweat of our brow, and I intend to give Him the full measure. That machine makes digging the rocks out of this field too easy to do my soul any good. I'll leave it for the holier members of our congregation." He pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket and wiped his face. "Did you come to help me dig stones, brother, or is there something I can do for you?"

Brother Bede sat on the low, broken stone wall that enclosed the kitchen garden. "I'm afraid I'm in need of your guidance."

Fr. Dagobert leaned his pick against a wheelbarrow, picked up a bottle of water from it's shade, and joined Brother Bede on the wall. "What's bothering you? "

"I've found myself in a situation that will cause me to break my vow of obedience, Father."

"Oh? How?"

"Well, as you know, I'm to return to Rome this week. But I truly believe the Lord wants me to remain here for a bit longer. I don't know why – He hasn't seen fit to give me a reason. I really don't know what to do."

"What do you want to do, Brother?"

"I want to keep my vows."

The abbot smiled and rolled his eyes . "If anybody else had given me that answer, I'd say he was deliberately being thick. What I want to know is whether or not you have a preference."

"I really don't. Where ever the Lord sends me is fine. I've just never found myself in a position like this before."

"There's no point in asking you if you've prayed about it. Knowing you, you've probably been pestering the Lord nonstop."

Brother Bede nodded.

"Well, it's not as bad as it seems. I know you well enough to be sure that if you think the Lord wants you to stick around for a while, you've probably heard Him right. So... if you return to Rome as scheduled, you break your vow of obedience to God. But if you stay, you break your vow to be obedient to your superiors... and through them, to God. Since I'm your superior here, that puts me right on the hot seat." He took a drink of water and stood up, somehow managing to look patrician in spite of being covered in dirt and sweat. "You're off the hook, brother. I'll keep you around for a while. I'll call your community in Rome and speak to the abbot there and let him know the situation. You can stay until God sees fit to kick you down the road."

Brother Bede was relieved. This solution to his problem was one that hadn't anticipated. It simply would not have occurred to him to ask for his superiors to change their orders. He was grateful, and said as much to the abbot.

"Don't thank me yet, Bede. I understand you're a decent cook."

The monk nodded his assent. "A tribute to my teacher more than to my poor skills, Father."

"I knew your teacher. You'll have a chance to pass on what Brother Ignatius taught you. I've got a novice in the kitchen whose specialty seems to be heartburn. Since you're going to be here I while, I'm putting you to work teaching him not to kill anybody with his cooking."

"Thank you, Fr. Dagobert. I'll certainly do my best."

"Don't thank me yet. If it wasn't for the fact that I'm certain he has a calling, I'd send him packing, if for no other reason than to safeguard the community. By the time you've worked with him for a week, you'll wish you had returned to Rome." He shook his head in disbelief as he put down his water and retrieved the pick.. "He actually caught a pot of _water _on fire last week..."

...

Bill pulled his car into the Fangtasia lot. It was too early in the evening for the bar to be open, but he had things to discuss with his sheriff and, as much as he would have liked to avoid it, it was necessary. He hesitated before going in. This meeting with Eric marked the beginning of the end of his relationship with Sookie. It was a milestone he was reluctant to pass.

...

Tara stood on the porch and peered in through the screen. "SOOK? YOU HOME?"

"I'm in Gran's room, Tara. Come on in..."

Tara stepped through the door, letting the screen slam behind her. She entered the bedroom where Sookie had spent much of her recovery to find her piling up the bedclothes and attempting to turn the mattress. Tara stepped in. "Let me help you with that, Sookie."

"Thanks Tara. It's not really heavy, just so darned awkward."

As they wrestled the mattress and replaced it on the bedframe, Tara reached for the pile of clean linens neatly folded on the dresser and helped Sookie make the bed. "Y'all must be feeling better if you're doing heavy housework."

"Yeah, I feel pretty much like my old self. But sitting around for a solid week after Liz left was making me nuts. I just hated it. Now I've got all this fidgety energy to work off, so I thought I'd get some things done around here. I kind of neglected the place when I got sick, and Gran would have a fit if she saw how bad it got. She liked a clean house."

"Yep, she sure did." Tara helped her smooth the chenille bedspread. "I'm surprised you behaved yourself. I thought for sure you'd be up and doing after that first week when Liz went back to Monroe."

"I sure was tempted. But Dr. Ludwig told me that if I tried to push it, she'd physically tie me to the bed for a month instead of just telling me to rest for a couple of weeks, and then Liz told me the same thing, so I did what they told me. Besides, I didn't want to worry Bill. He did enough worrying about me."

"Speaking of Bill, where is he? I was kind of afraid I'd interrupt you two."

"He had some business to attend to. He's going to try to make it later."

The change in Sookie's expression was slight, but it didn't escape Tara's notice. "What's wrong, Sook?"

Sookie shook her head and didn't answer. Finished with the bed, she sat down on it, turning her back to her friend in silence. Tara walked around to the other side of the bed and sat next to her, her hand on her shoulder.

"Sook?"

"It's Bill, Tara."

"What's going on?"

Sookie's face showed a mixture of frustration and sadness. "I wish I knew. Lately, he's been so secretive. He wouldn't tell me where he was going tonight. He wouldn't even tell me if it was vampire business."

"Maybe he has a surprise for you."

"No, not the way his face looked, Tara. The only time I've ever seen him look so sad was when he told me about losing his family. I don't know what to think."

"It's probably nothing... try not to dwell on it. If he's coming over tonight, he'll probably tell you about it then."

"I don't think so. It if was just that..." Her voice trailed off.

"What else is going on?"

Sookie began to tear. "He hasn't touched me, Tara, not for weeks."

"Give the guy a break, Sookie. You were pretty sick."

"Yeah, but even when I was hurting we would have sex... at least until the last couple of weeks before Dr. Ludwig fixed me up. It made me feel better."

"Maybe he's just not in the mood."

Sookie's incredulous expression spoke volumes. "Tara, he's a _vampire._"

"Oh. Right."

"Besides, I can see he wants to. He's holding back. He's even gone home before sunrise so he doesn't lose control."

"Has he said anything?"

"He just says to trust him, and that it's for my benefit. But he said the same thing when I told him I want our blood bond back."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I asked him straight out, and he refused."

"He _refused?_ You kidding me?"

Sookie shook her head. "He won't feed, either."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know. But if he doesn't make love to me pretty soon, I'm gonna lose it."

...

Pam was sitting at the bar while Eric took a liquor inventory. She scowled at Bill and swore under her breath as he came in, causing Eric to look up from his work.

"Bill, nice of you to drop by. Excuse Pam. She still hasn't forgiven you yet."

Bill glanced at Pam. "I'm sorry to hear that." Turning to the sheriff, he saw that he no longer wore the heavy leather bands that concealed the wound on his wrist. "However, I am pleased to see that you've healed."

"Hmm. Yes. It took quite a while. I'd forgotten how inconvenient that could be." Eric continued his work.

"You asked me to keep you informed about Sookie. I'm here to do that."

Eric lifted an eyebrow. "I didn't think you'd be so cooperative." Turning to Pam, he said, "Finish this up for me. And make certain we've got extra vodka. For some reason, the humans have been drinking more than usual."

Bill accompanied Eric into his office, closing the door behind him and sitting in the chair across from the sheriff's desk. Eric seated himself on the corner of the desk, observing Bill intently and waiting for him to begin.

"Sookie's blood bonds have been broken," Bill stated flatly and without preamble.

"That explains quite a bit."

"It nearly killed her, Eric. I came to warn you against attempting to reestablish a bond with her."

Eric smiled. "Threats, Bill?"

"Not a threat. It was a reaction to vampire blood that caused Sookie's illness."

"You expect me to believe you?"

"No. But I imagine you'll believe Dr. Ludwig. Call her. She can explain it better than I can."

"You had a blood bond with her, as well. I suppose your blood was also a problem."

Bill shook his head. "No. Apparently not. But any other vampire blood is."

"Interesting. Is this a new development among humans?"

"No. It's just Sookie. She's... unique."

"It seems you are, as well." Eric considered the young vampire before him. "What is it, exactly, that you want?"

"Sookie needs to be protected from other vampires attempting to establish a blood bond. You can do that more effectively as sheriff than I can."

"And what do I get for my efforts?"

"Nothing."

Eric smiled. "It seems it's hardly worth my time, then."

"I won't bargain with you where Sookie's concerned. No quid pro quo. I will ask her to consider helping you with her telepathic abilities – provided you agree to protect her, and you do her the courtesy of asking her yourself."

"More concern for your human's 'feelings?' "

"Trust me, Eric. She's much easier to convince if you don't antagonize her."

"It's a shame she can't be glamoured. Humans are so much less trouble to deal with when they're glamoured." Eric stood up and moved to his chair behind the desk. Sitting, he said, "So why now, Bill? You've never asked for my help as your sheriff before. In fact, your disdain is blatantly obvious." He leaned forward and folded his hands on the desk. "So what's different now?"

"Sookie's well now. That puts her in danger again. I can't be there to protect her every minute, and you know she has a way of getting into trouble. Other vampires respect your position. More to the point, they fear you. Your authority would give her additional protection."

"Is that all?"

"No."

"What else?"

"I can't discuss it, Eric."

Eric leaned back in his chair. "If you can't discuss it, then it involves someone higher in authority."

'The queen of Louisiana."

The sheriff considered the dark vampire sitting across from him for some minutes before coming abruptly to a decision. "All right. I'll let it be known that Sookie is under my protection. You will do your best to persuade her to work for me from time to time?"

"Yes. But I expect her to be well paid for her efforts."

Eric laughed aloud. "Bill, you just don't know when to stop. It's one of the reasons I haven't staked you yet. Consider it done. I assume you will want to negotiate her fees? "

Bill smiled. "If she'll let me."

...

Sam pulled up to his trailer and whistled tunelessly as he got out of his car and sorted through his keys for the one to his door. As he approached the steps, he was brought up short by the sight of Bill Compton sitting in a chair on his porch.

"Bill! What the hell are you doing here?" He climbed the steps quickly, skipping every other one.

"I wanted to talk to you about Sookie, Sam."

She's OK, ain't she?

"Yes. She's fine."

"Good. Y'all had me worried there for a minute. You want to come in?"

"No. It's a nice evening. Do you mind if we talk out here?"

"No. Not a bit. Just let me go grab a beer. You want a blood?"

"I'd appreciate that, Sam."

Sam returned a few minutes later, handed a warmed bottle of blood to the vampire, and sat down in the other chair, placing his beer on the table between them. "You been waiting long?"

"A bit. I didn't know you'd be gone."

"I took Liz to a movie in Monroe."

Bill smiled. "Chick flick?"

"Oh hell no. Liz wanted to see a Vin Diesel movie, so I took her to see Chronicles of Riddick."

"That's pretty old, isn't it?"

"Yeah. But they had a 3D version playing at the Imax. We must've spent $40 just on the popcorn."

"Sounds like you had a good time."

"It was nice... So what brings you here, Bill? I thought you'd be spending your time with Sookie now that she's better." Sam watched as a shadow crossed Bill's features. "You OK, Bill?"

"No. No I'm not."

"What's goin' on?"

"Do you still care for Sookie?"

Sam considered his answer carefully. "Well, I'm kind of involved with Liz right now, but you know I've always been sweet on her. Why?"

"I want you to take care of her, Sam. I've made arrangements with Eric to protect her in my absence, and he's agreed. He has the authority to keep other vampires away from her. I explained to him about the danger of trying to reestablish a blood bond."

Shocked into a temporary silence, Sam just stared. "He _agreed_? He's the son of a bitch that caused this problem in the first place. And what the hell do you mean take care of Sookie? What absence? Where are you going? You just can't drop something like this on me without an explanation Bill. What the fuck..."

Bill drank from his bottle of blood, then looked Sam in the face. His rival for Sookie's affection, he was well aware of the irony of asking him to take care of her now.

"I'm not going anywhere, Sam."

"You'll have to explain yourself a hell of a lot better than that."

"You know what monsters vampires are. I've done some things since I was turned... anyway, I promised Sookie that when she was well again I would tell her everything."

"And now she's well. You sure that's a good idea?"

"No. No I'm not. But she's given me back something I had lost – my humanity. I owe her the truth."

"From the way y'all are acting, I guess there're some pretty ugly things to tell her."

"There are. Sookie's got a strong sense of what's right and wrong, Sam. She's not going want to be anywhere near me once she knows the things I've done. She thinks I'm some antebellum Southern gentleman, not a murdering monster. She's not going to be able to fool herself about what I am anymore."

"She's been happy with you, Bill. You gonna take that away from her? Do you have to tell her?"

"Lies have a way of coming out. It's only a matter of time. I'm surprised the truth hasn't shown up by now. She should hear it from me. I owe her that much." He stood and finished his drink, setting the empty bottle on the table. "I'm sure Sookie won't be able to stop herself from sharing at least part of what I've done with you. You're not going to want me around either. So, I won't be coming to Merlotte's anymore. You won't have to worry about seeing me there." He paused. "It's been nice not fighting with you, Sam."

Sam sat in silence with his mouth agape, watching as the vampire walked to his car and drove into the darkness. An hour later, he was still there, having only left the porch once to head into the house and retrieve the rest of the six-pack from the fridge.

...

* An angel clad in white  
proclaimed the women,  
"Your Lord has gone to Galilee." Alleluia.

You can hear a good example of the hymn here:

http:/www

(dot)

youtube

(dot)

com/watch?v=Uz9akqofziE&feature=related


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Sookie was sitting at her grandmother's grave. She had been waiting for the sun to set and wishing with all her heart that she was still alive to confide in. She had brought fresh flowers to the grave as she did several times each month. It was odd, but she found her visits to Adele's resting place comforting. She would sit at the grave, leaning against the headstone, and take time to remember the woman who had loved her, raised her, and accepted her. She would replay remembered conversations with her, often finding insights she had missed initially, and over time she became more and more impressed with the depth of her grandmother's wisdom.

As she had done on more than one occasion, she wished Gran had lived long enough to know Bill better. Gran had been excited to meet someone who had actually lived through the turmoil of the war between the states. It was a significant turning point in the history of the country, and especially the southern states. There was not a family in the South that hadn't been touched by the war, and it was more than just dry history. It remained part of the personal story of Southern folk, even for those born long after it ended. Adele was one of many who felt that connection. Her introduction to Mr. Compton and his subsequent talk at a special meeting of the DGD had meant much to her. Sookie was thankful that she had at least met Bill before she died.

With the sun now down for the night, Bill had come through the graveyard silently and found Sookie at Adele's grave. He stood in the darkness watching her, gathering his courage. _She is so lovely..._

Sookie looked up to see a figure standing nearby, barely visible in the dark, and she leapt to her feet. "Bill!" Running to him, she threw herself into his arms, holding him tightly and kissing him ardently. "Oh, God, I missed you. Where've you been? It's been days and I've been so worried..."

Returning her embrace, Bill buried his face in her hair, inhaling deeply. "I'm sorry, Sookie. There were some things I had to do..."

She held him close, speaking into his shirt. "Is it something you can tell me, Bill? Or is it vampire business?"

"It's both, Sweetheart." He looked her in the eyes and brushed her hair from her face. "Come. We need to talk."

Bill was silent as they went through the cemetery to his house. Sookie couldn't see his face in the dark, but she had heard the sadness in his voice, and it filled her with dread. She held onto Bill tightly, her arm around his waist as they walked., trying not to let her imagination run away with her. Whatever it was that he had to tell her, she would know soon enough.

...

Bill took Sookie by the hand and led her to the living room. He gestured her to sit, then went to a cabinet in the dining room where he retrieved a small portfolio from a drawer. He returned, sitting with Sookie on the sofa, and placed it on the table.

Sookie was uneasy. Bill seemed withdrawn and his expression was unreadable. He normally sat close to her, but this time, even though they shared the sofa, he had put distance between them.

"Bill, what's going on?"

"I've been to see Eric, Sookie."

"Eric? Why in the world would you see him?"

"He questioned your unusual reaction to vampire blood. If humans were reacting in a new way to the blood bond, it would be of significant concern. I had to reassure him that your reaction was yours alone, and not a threat to him or other vampires. I also asked him to put you under his protection, and he agreed."

Sookie was offended. "I don't need protecting, and I certainly don't need it from _him_."

"You do, Sookie. I explained your illness to him. With the protection of the sheriff, you won't need to worry about another vampire attempting a blood bond with you. You know better than most how ruthless he can be. With him looking out for you, that ruthlessness will be to your advantage."

"You're the only protection I need, Bill."

"I may not always be around, Sweetheart."

"Why would he bother about me, anyway?"

"Your telepathic ability is very, very rare. He still hopes you'll work for him."

She snorted in derision. "Fat chance."

"At least consider it, Sookie."

"Why should I? He's such a slime..."

"Yes, he is. But I did promise him that I'd do my best to persuade you."

Her face showed her disgust. "Oh...I get it. He'll protect me if I work for him."

"No. I specifically told him that there would be no bargaining with your safety, no quid pro quo. I did tell him that there were conditions to be met before I would even attempt to convince you. One was that he must agree to protect you; another was that you were to be well paid."

"Huh?"

Sookie, the outcome in Dallas was a disaster. In spite of that, you deserved every penny he paid you, and more. There is something very special about you. I don't know what it is, but I do know that, whatever it is, it's made your life very difficult and because of it you don't realize your own worth. Your gift could make you a very wealthy woman if that's what you want."

Sookie considered what Bill said. "Well, it would be nice to have a little bit of money in the bank, just for emergencies and such. Sometimes it's hard to make ends meet." She paused. "Just how much persuading is he expecting?"

"I have no idea. But this is all he's going to get."

"This is it?"

"I'm not going to badger you or try to manipulate you. As far as I'm concerned, the decision is entirely up to you. You're free to make up your own mind on this. You can choose to work for Eric or not as you see fit. If you decide to work for him, how often is also up to you."

She sighed. "Well, the asshole could at least ask me himself."

A small smile turned up one corner of Bill's mouth. "He will. I also made that a condition."

Sookie giggled. "I bet that rankled him."

"It did. But he'll get over it."

Relieved, Sookie stood up and stretched. "Well, I'll think about it. Is that all Bill? 'Cause I haven't seen you in days, and I sure didn't want to spend my time with you talking about Eric." She reached for his hand, attempting to pull him from the couch and breaking into a large smile. "I've been thinking about you in that big ol' tub of yours for the past two days..." Bill looked up at her, and the expression on his face stopped her in mid sentence.

"Sookie, there's more."

"Oh geeze, can't it wait?"

"No. If I don't tell you now... I won't have the courage."

"You're serious..."

"Please, Sookie. Sit."

Sookie sat. The uneasy feeling she had earlier returned, and she pulled her legs up on the sofa, wrapping her arms around her knees to steady herself.

It took some moments for Bill to find his voice. "The night I returned from Rome, I told you I had lied to you. Do you remember?"

Sookie felt her stomach turn. "Yeah... yeah I do."

"It's time for me to tell you everything, Sookie."

"Why now, Bill?

"I've wanted to tell you for quite some time. But you became ill, and I was so worried... I can't put it off any longer. Especially since you're now free of all blood bonds. Your feelings about what I tell you will be genuine, untainted by any outside influence."

"It that why you refused when I asked for our bond back?"

"Yes."

"I don't see why. I mean, you're not like Eric."

"I'm more like Eric than you know." He turned his head away, unable to look her in the eye. "In many ways, I'm worse."

Sookie looked at him over her knees. Her first impulse was to protest – but she stopped herself. Whatever he was about to tell her, it was obvious that it troubled him greatly. She sat silently, waiting for him to begin. Then a thought intruded, and she had to ask.

"Is that why you haven't made love to me Bill?"

Still avoiding her gaze, he nodded. "I couldn't. Not until you knew the truth."

"I was beginning to think you didn't want me any more."

Startled at her remark, he turned back to her. "Oh God, Sookie... don't _ever_ think that. Whatever else I tell you tonight, please remember that I love you. I will always love you."

"All right."

If Bill had still breathed, he would have taken a deep breath before beginning. Instead, he clasped his hands together, and Sookie could see his knuckles turn paper-white under the strength of his grip.

"I told you how Lorena had finally released me. I didn't tell you what I did afterward." He looked up momentarily to see if Sookie was listening. Noting that she was, he looked away again and continued. "I wandered for a few years before returning to the United States. Eventually I ended up in the service of the queen of Louisiana."

"Louisiana has a queen?" Sookie asked, surprised.

A small smile graced the corner of Bill's mouth. "Every state has a king or queen, Sookie. There are similar arrangements in other countries. The sheriffs are overseen by their respective monarchs. Eric must answer to Queen Sophie-Ann, who is the vampire ruler of Louisiana."

"Wow. So what did you do for her?"

Bill's smile disappeared. "I was her procurer."

Sookie was stunned. "Her _procurer?_ Eww, Bill – that's, that's so disgusting! Why?"

"Because I'm good at it, and the queen has insatiable appetites – of all kinds."

"That's no answer."

"No, I guess it's not. I told you. Vampires don't have human values. And I am a vampire."

"But you're not like other vampires, Bill. You've still got that human part of you."

"Sookie, any humanity in me is there because of you. You've given that back to me. But until I met you, I was no different from Eric, Pam, Liam... or any other vampire."

"It's just... I just can't imagine..."

"You've changed me. The vampire you know now is not the vampire who returned to Bon Temps. Believe me, I was – I am – entirely capable of any number of evils."

"Then I guess it's a good thing y'all decided to come home."

He hesitated. "I didn't. Coming back to this place, with all its painful memories, was the last thing I wanted." Bill's pain was evident in his face. "I came to Bon Temps because I was ordered to."

"What...?"

Bill picked up the portfolio from the table and held it out to her. Sookie released her knees and sat cross-legged, a look of puzzlement on her face as she took it from him.

"What is this, Bill?"

"It's a dossier... on you."

She looked at the unopened portfolio in her hands, then up at Bill. "I don't understand..."

"Queen Sophie-Ann is unusually interested in you, Sookie. I have no idea why. I was ordered to return to Bon Temps specifically to... to seduce you. And deliver you to her. The night I found the Rattray's assaulting you, I purposely hesitated as they beat you. I hadn't planned it, but it gave me the perfect opportunity to bind you to me by giving you my blood."

Bill looked away in shame.

When he looked up, Sookie was gone.

...

Sookie couldn't breathe. She couldn't remember getting up from the sofa or leaving Bill's home. She found herself walking aimlessly through the cemetery, disoriented. _He doesn't love me... he never loved me... it was all a lie..._ She began to walk faster, trying to escape. She couldn't think. One word repeated itself over and over in her mind, a perfect cadence to each step. _No... no... no... no..._ She couldn't see where she was going in the dark, but it didn't matter; the tears filling her eyes obscured what little vision she did have in the blackness. Sookie stumbled as she made her way, bruising herself on the headstones and wrought iron that barred her way, insensible to the rough stone and the cold metal.

Her feet found a familiar path and she made her way by instinct. Her steps quickened until she found herself running. She didn't realize she had arrived at her house until she fell blindly across the steps of the porch, skinning her knees and collapsing. Her breath came in immense gasps from exertion as well as grief. Realizing where she was, sobs wracked her body until exhaustion and sleep claimed her.

...

With dawn drawing near, Bill went to his hiding place to rest for the day. As he lay on the mattress he had placed there for Sookie while she was ill, he was assaulted by the smell of her on the linens. It was too much for him to bear. His cry of grief could be heard throughout the house and into the yard.

...

"Sookie?" Sam knelt beside her, shaking her gently. "Sookie? Wake up..." She lay sprawled face-down across the steps, bruised and battered, with dried blood on her knees and a flat leather folder beneath her hand. He shook her again, less gently, and she opened her eyes. Sam was concerned. She seemed unfocussed, and he wasn't entirely sure she recognized him. Sam helped her to her feet and brought her inside, sitting her gently on the couch. He went back outside to retrieve the folder, and when he returned Sookie looked up at him.

"Sam? What are you doing here?"

"When you didn't show up for work, I got worried."

"Oh geeze, Sam, I must have overslept. I had the most awful dream..." She rubbed her face and brushed her hair back.

"Overslept, huh? Sookie, you were out cold on the porch."

"What?" Just as she spoke, she saw the object in Sam's hand and burst into tears, burying her face in her hands.. "Oh God, it wasn't a nightmare..."

Sam crossed the room and put the portfolio on the dining table, then sat next to her and held her as she wept. After she had cried herself out, he said, "I'll be OK, Sook."

"No it won't Sam. You were right about vampires all along. I should've listened."

"Whatever it is, it must be bad."

"It is... it's horrible..."

"You want to talk about it?"

Tears again began to spill from Sookie's eyes. "I can't. I can't even think about it. It hurts too much..." She covered her face with her hands. "Oh God, Sam. I wish I'd died on Dr. Ludwig's table..."

...

Fr. Dagobert sat at his desk with his hands folded before him, taking a moment to pray while he waited for the monk to arrive. Like many of the furnishings at the monastery, the desk had been donated long ago, a cast-off that was no longer wanted. Time and care had restored its value. Seventy years of use had polished it until now it was an antique that would be cherished in the finest antebellum homes in Louisiana. At the sound of a soft knock on the oaken door, he looked up and spoke. "Come."

Brother Bede came into the office and the abbot gestured him to sit.

"How are you brother?"

"I'm very well, Father."

"I hear from the brothers that Eddie is making progress in the kitchen. We've only had two members of the community in the infirmary since you started working with him. That's quite an improvement."

"He's doing very well. He knows absolutely nothing, which is quite a blessing. He has no bad habits to unlearn. And he has shown an aptitude for baking."

"He's been making the bread?"

"Yes. And doing very well."

"I had no idea. It's been quite good. I'm amazed."

"May I tell him?"

"No, I'll tell him myself. It will be a nice change to have something positive to say to him about his culinary efforts. He's heard enough of the negative from me."

Brother Bede sat patiently, waiting for Fr. Dagobert to dismiss him, but he didn't.

"I assume you're still assailing heaven with your prayers, brother. Am I correct?"

"I've been praying every day, Father."

The abbot scowled. "So have I. I keep getting the same answer, though I don't understand it one bit."

"You have?" Brother Bede sat up straight and scooted to the edge of the chair.

"Do you have any idea why the Good Lord would be talking to me, instead of you?"

"I put out a fleece." *

The priest paused while he considered Brother Bede's answer. "A fleece? You sound like my folks. They would have approved." He folded his hands again on the desk. "Why a fleece?"

Brother Bede looked at him sheepishly. "Well, I wasn't sure. I mean, I thought that I might just be fooling myself, thinking that the Lord had given me an answer to my prayers when it could just have easily been my own desires. I didn't want to risk that."

The abbot was thoughtful. "Well, I hope you can explain it to me. The answer I keep getting, over and over, is just one word."

"What word, Father?"

" 'Vampire.' Does that make any sense to you?"

"Oh my, my, my.. yes, yes it does!" A huge smile spread itself across his face and he clapped his hands. "Oh how wonderful!"

Fr. Dagobert's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "For the life of me, brother, I could make absolutely no sense of it. I know this is between you and the Lord, but would you explain at least part of it to me?"

Fidgeting with excitement, Bede could hardly keep his seat. "Well, I went to visit a friend of mine when I arrived."

"Yes, I remember."

"Mr. Compton, Mr. William Compton. I met him in Rome when he came to me for help locating some information in the library. As it happens, he is a vampire. Oh yes, yes, it was such a wonderful experience. I'd never met a vampire before. It was quite thrilling. Oh my, my..."

Waiting patiently while Brother Bede's enthusiasm ran its course, Fr. Dagobert considered the man. _It figures Bede would be the first member of the community to strike up a friendship with a vampire. It simply wouldn't occur to him to be afraid. _

When the monk had finally calmed himself somewhat, he addressed his superior. "I believe this is the instruction I have been waiting for, Father. May I have your permission to return to Bon Temps to see my friend?"

The abbot sighed. "Yes, yes of course. It seems ridiculously obvious that this is what the Good Lord wants, and there's simply no point in fighting the Creator." He stood and shooed Brother Bede out of his office with both hands. "Go. Go back and have your visit. Just keep me informed."

Brother Bede fairly danced out of the abbot's office. "Yes. Yes, I will, Father. Oh my, my, my..."

After he'd left, Fr. Dagobert sat on the edge of the desk, shaking his head and talking to God. "Well, Lord, I don't know what you have up your sleeve this time. But I'm damned sure that there's more to this than just a monk visiting a vampire."

...

The bar had closed and Sam was just finishing up to go home. Tara stood in the open door to his office and tapped on the jamb. "Sam, y'all got a minute?"

Sam turned from his desk and leaned back in the chair. "Sure, Tara. What's on your mind?"

Tara came in and sat on the sofa. Lafayette followed her in and sat with her. "Has Sookie talked to you at all?"

He sighed. "Nope. Not a word. You?"

"No. Bill hasn't been around to her place or the bar. Nobody's seen him, and Sookie won't even mention his name."

Lafayette interjected. "It ain't like Sook not to talk to _somebody_. Hell, she cuts me off I even if I's just asking how she's doin'."

"Well, I can't say anything. She's doing her job, showing up, even taking extra shifts when we're shorthanded. Says she needs to make up for the time she was off when she was in Dallas and when she was sick." Sam ran his hand through his hair.

Tara said, "Hell, Sam. Even Josh was asking about him. Said he missed playing pool. You got any idea what the fuck is goin' on with those two?"

Sam considered for a moment before answering. "All I know is that Bill was waiting for me at my place one night. He said he had some things to tell Sookie, and that afterward she probably wouldn't ever want to see him again."

"No shit?" Lafayette said in disbelief.

"That's right. He told me that I wouldn't want him around either, so he wouldn't be coming to the bar anymore."

"Did he tell you anything else, Sam?"

"No Tara, he didn't. Just said that Sookie would probably tell me, and to take care of her."

"Well damn, " said Lafayette. "Everybody was behavin' themselves with a vamp in the bar. It was gettin' downright civilized. Even that old biddy Maxine Fortenberry kept her nasty remarks to herself. Just when I was getting all spoiled.." Tara poked him. "Ow!" He rubbed his arm. "Damn, Tara, that's gonna leave a mark..."

Sam stood. "Well, all y'all just leave her be. She'll talk when she's ready, and not one minute before.

...

Sookie sat at the dining room table staring at the portfolio in front of her. She knew what was inside. It had taken her days to find the courage to open it. Somehow, as long as it was unopened and unread, she could tell herself that it was all a mistake, some sort of cosmic joke. She rubbed her hand over the oiled brown leather, then untied the black cotton ribbons that closed the three open sides. As she had done over and over again, she opened the portfolio and leafed through the contents: genealogy charts that showed her lineage back five generations. Newspaper clippings about her grandfather. A summary of her schooling from kindergarten through high school. Her grandparents' marriage license. Her parents' birth certificates. Notes on her daily routine – when she went to work, where she shopped. Her friends. Copies of the deed to her house and her grandmother's will. Her finances.

She sighed and mumbled to herself aloud. "I can't believe there's a dossier on me. I feel like I'm in a bad spy movie."

Whoever had put together the file on her had been thorough. Shaking her head, she returned the items to the leather folder and closed it again. No matter how many times she looked through it, she was as confused as ever.

Invariably, her thoughts turned to Bill and the aching in her heart increased until her breath caught and tears threatened. Every word he had spoken that night was graven into her memory. She pushed it aside lest sorrow overtake her completely.

Sookie hadn't spoken to anyone about what had happened that night. She couldn't. The humiliation was too great. She couldn't bear the thought of anyone knowing how she had been manipulated – had let herself be manipulated – by Bill.

Sookie went through the motions of each day trying not to think about him. Her life no longer had any direction. She was back where she was before she had met him; alone, lonely, fending off the intrusive thoughts of those around her, with no relief. But this time it was worse. This time she knew that there was something better, but also knew that it was beyond her reach. She would never be able to have a normal, human relationship, and it took all of her effort to get through each day without succumbing to hopelessness.

...

*Judges 6:37-40


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47

Brother Bede pulled his car into the gravel drive of the old house and turned off the engine. He was bubbling with excitement to see William again. He had not expected to find such joy in this serendipitous friendship, but he was cognizant of the blessing and thanked God for it every time the thought arose.

The house was dark, but it didn't cause him any concern. He knew that vampire sight was not limited by darkness. For William there was no problem, and Bede imagined that he had simply neglected to turn on the porch light. He climbed the steps and approached the door, finding his way by the illumination of the crescent moon, and knocked.

There was no answer.

Bede wondered if he had gone out, but William's car was parked near the side of the house, so he knocked again. Still no answer. _Perhaps he is with Sookie..._

Just as he was about to leave, he had the unmistakable feeling that there was something amiss, and spoke aloud. "Lord, I don't understand what you are trying to tell me."

He tried the door knob and found it unlocked. Opening the door, he stood at the threshold and called out. "William? Are you home?" Again, there was no answer. Bede walked into the foyer and closed the door behind him. "William? It's Brother Bede..."

Unable to find a light switch, Bede waited while his eyes adjusted to the limited amount of moonlight passing through the windows. When he felt his vision had adjusted to the dark as much as it was going to, he began to walk carefully toward the living room. "William...?"

As Bede entered the room, he saw a shadowy figure sitting alone in a chair, and approached. "William?" As he got closer, there was just enough of the pale light to make out the person sitting there, and Bede bent over and grasped a cool hand. "My God, William...what's happened...?"

...

Sookie was folding laundry and stacking it on the dining room table. She'd had the day off and had spent it running errands and catching up with housework. Her laundry was the last chore of the day, and after it was put away she had planned a lazy evening of popcorn, lemonade, and old movies by herself. It was a relief to get away from the noisy thoughts at the bar, the market, even from cars stopped next to her at the traffic lights – not to mention her coworkers and friends. They had done their best not to pry, but their thoughts were brimming with curiosity over what had happened between her and Bill. Every time another speculative thought intruded, the pain of Bill's betrayal reasserted itself.

With the last of the wash folded, neatly stacked, and ready to be put away, Sookie returned to the laundry room and replaced the wash basket. As she did so, there was a knock at the door.

_Oh damn... I don't want any company tonight..._

Sookie answered the door and, to her surprise, found Eric standing there, his usual smug smile on his face.

"Good evening, Sookie."

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"I've come to discuss a business proposition. May I come in?"

Sookie thought it over for a moment. _I might as well hear him out and get it over with..._

"I guess. Come on in."

Eric nodded and entered, and Sookie directed him to the living room. "Have a seat, Eric." She stood before him with her arms folded, waiting.

He sat, noting as he did so, "You're looking delectable as usual, Sookie."

"Cut the crap, Eric. Just tell me why you're here so I can have my evening to myself."

Lifting an eyebrow, he said, "What, no Bill tonight?"

"That's none of your damned business."

He paused for a moment, watching her. "All right. I have a proposition for you, Ms. Stackhouse. A new liquor distributor is soliciting my business. The quality of his product is good, and his prices are substantially lower than my current supplier."

"What's that have to do with me?"

"He's scheduled to meet with me in a few weeks. I want to ensure that his sources are, shall we say, legitimate? I have no desire to run afoul of the ATF; it's not good for business. However, if his sources are legal, it may be worth my while to switch suppliers. I'd like you to be there during the meeting."

"You want me to listen to his thoughts and find out where he's getting his liquor."

"Exactly."

"And you won't mind it one bit if you can bypass him entirely and buy directly from his supplier."

Eric smiled. "Very perceptive, Ms. Stackhouse."

"How much are you willing to pay me?"

"Five hundred dollars. It shouldn't take more than an hour or so."

"A thousand."

"A bit high, isn't it, Sookie?"

"No, it isn't. Not considering the profit you'd be making over the long run. And that's per hour, whether you decide to make a deal with him or not."

"All right."

"Five thousand an hour if I give you his supplier."

"Pro-rated."

"No."

"Five thousand an hour or any part thereof...but only if his supplier is legitimate."

Sookie looked at him. "It's a deal. Just this once."

Eric stood, paused, and Sookie waited for the other shoe to drop. _What else is he up to?_

"You know, Sookie, Bill came to see me a while back."

She remained silent.

"He told me about your illness, which Dr. Ludwig confirmed, by the way."

"You damned near killed me with your stupid trick, Eric. You could at least apologize."

"Five thousand an hour isn't enough of an apology?"

"No. Not by a damned shot."

"Then I apologize, Ms. Stackhouse."

"I appreciate that."

"Bill asked me to put you under my protection as sheriff."

Sookie thought it better not to let on that she and Bill were no longer together. Eric was devious; she trusted him as far as she could comfortably spit out a rat, and no farther. "I know. He worries about me."

"Apparently. Anyway, I've let it be known that you are off limits to all vampires within my jurisdiction. However, should you happen to travel out of my area, please inform me."

Irritated, she snapped at him. "Why? So you can spy on me?"

"No, so I can inform the other sheriffs of your...let's just call it your 'special status.' " Eric paused. "Pam will forward the date and time of the meeting to you. It's been a pleasure, Sookie."

"Eric..."

He paused as he was leaving. "Yes?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For asking me yourself, and for the apology."

He nodded and left, leaving Sookie to ruminate over his visit.

...

The monk fumbled along the walls until he found a switch for the lights. Flipping it on, he turned to look at his friend and was startled by his appearance.

"William... you're bleeding..." Pulling a folded tissue from his pocket, he reached to wipe Bill's face.

Bill looked up at his approach, seeming to see Brother Bede for the first time. "Brother..."

"Your eyes are bleeding, William. We should get you to a doctor..."

With a start, Bill wiped his eyes with his fingers. "No... no need. I'm not injured..."

"But the blood, William..."

"Vampire tears, Brother Bede."

The monk sat heavily on the sofa near Bill's chair, a look of amazement on his face. "Tears? Tears of blood? Is that normal, William?"

Attempting to regain his composure, Bill cleared his throat. "Ah, yes. Yes it is... for vampires." Changing the subject, he continued. "What are you doing here? I understood that you were returning to Rome."

"Oh my, my. It seems the Lord wants me to remain here for a while. He made it very clear to both my superior and me that I was to return here, to visit you. As usual, He keeps me clueless as to His purpose. I think it amuses Him."

"Well, I can't say I don't appreciate the company. It has been a difficult few months."

"I must say, you look just horrible. Is there anything I can do, William? Shall I fetch Sookie?" To the monk's surprise, at the mention of Sookie's name, bloody tears again filled Bill's eyes.

"Tell me, Brother Bede. Is suicide a sin if you're already dead?"

...

Sam stood in the yard with a beer in his hand, watching the night sky. Another busy night; he was glad the day was done. His mind was wandering, thinking about nothing in particular. Except for worrying about Sookie, life was good.

His thoughts turned to Sookie. With Bill out of the picture, he now had a chance to win the heart of the blonde waitress. Sam had been in love with her almost from the day they met. But things had changed.

There was Liz.

Sam truly enjoyed her company. There was an ease about her that was missing with Sookie, and Sam smiled. He still couldn't believe that the woman he was dating could make him laugh or field-strip an M-16 with equal ease. She was as comfortable in heels as she was in combat boots, and didn't care which she wore. She was confident without being the least bit arrogant. Sam had fantasies about her, of telling her his secret. He instinctively felt that, after what she had endured in her personal life and during her tours of duty, she could be trusted. There was even a chance she might not mind that he wasn't entirely human. The idea of confiding in her was tempting.

Sam took a long pull at his beer.

Sookie had yet to tell anyone what had happened between her and Bill Compton, but it had been upsetting enough for her to wish she had died rather than hear it. So, now she was free and the vampire that had plagued him was out of the picture. It was what Sam had been wishing for.

Two women... one he'd been hopelessly in love with from the first; one who made him happy to be himself and put him at ease.

_Damn. I don't know what's going on between Sookie and Bill, but he's the only one on earth who can give her what she needs. I sure as hell can't... _

His thoughts turned back to Liz, and he caught himself picturing her smile and his heart skipped a beat at the image. _...and Sookie can't give me what I need..._ Coming to a decision, he finished his beer. He would risk his heart with Liz.

Sookie would just have to get along without him.

...

Brother Bede sat at the edge of the sofa, his hands folded before him, a look of concern on his face. Through the long hours of the night, Bill had related to him what had transpired between himself and Sookie, his duties for the queen and why he had returned to Bon Temps. Discovering that Sookie had told him of her telepathy, Bill explained what had happened in Dallas, the nature of her illness, and the extremes they had gone to for her recovery. The monk was fascinated by his story, but more than that he was concerned for his friend.

"So you told her of your deception, William?"

Weary to his bones, Bill answered. "Yes. At least, as much as I could before she fled." A wan smile crossed his lips. "It's a shame you're not a priest, Brother. I could use some absolution."

"My, my, my... That's quite a tale." Bede was quiet for some time, thinking over Bill's story and praying silently. Suddenly, he leapt up, gesticulating wildly, and began pacing the room. Bill watched from his chair.

"No, no, no. It makes no sense, William. This situation may all have started with your queen, but I do not believe the Lord would bring you and Sookie together for nothing."

Curious, he asked, "What makes you say so?"

"Well, you said that from the first night, when she saved you from the drainers, there was something different about her that intrigued you."

"Yes."

"Then there's the blood. You said you were unusually attracted to her blood. And she's attracted to yours, which is quite odd since she is not a vampire."

Bill remembered the incredible night of his homecoming when Sookie had bitten and fed from him, and his heart ached at the memory. "Yes, that's so."

"And why is it, that of all vampires, your blood alone does not make her ill?"

"I don't know. Coincidence, perhaps."

"Oh no... no, no, no. I told you, William, I do not believe in coincidence. No. I believe that there is a reason you and Sookie are as you are."

"Are you telling me that God wanted me to be a vampire?"

"No. No, I'm not. Had that been the Lord's will, He would have created you that way. But it's surely Romans."

Bill looked at him, askance. "I'm sorry?"

"The book of Romans. 'For God makes all things work together for the good of those that love Him.' " *

"You've lost me, Brother Bede."

The monk sat down on the sofa, perched on the very edge of the cushion, with a look of intensity on his face. "Don't you see? Perhaps it was not part of His original plan that you be turned, but He will take your existence as it is now and make something useful from it. Surely there is some reason for Sookie's blood to make you more vampire than other vampires. He does nothing without reason. Yes, yes, yes. He's up to something. I'm sure of it. The Lord wastes nothing that can be put to use for the good of His people, William."

The oppressive despair that had overwhelmed him since his confession to Sookie began to ebb a little. "Do you really think that's possible?"

Bede jumped up from the sofa, a huge smile lighting his face. "Absolutely! You did the right thing, William, when you told Sookie the truth. I'm sure God will honor that." He turned and walked from the room, his scuffed leather sandals making a shuffling noise across the floor, preoccupied and mumbling to himself.

Bill stood. "Brother? Where are you going?"

Brother Bede pulled open the door, leaving it standing open as he hurried across the porch and down the steps. He shouted back, "To get my suitcase. I'll be staying a while... and I could use a glass of wine..."

At the sight of the monk's exuberance, a smile crossed Bill's face for the first time in weeks, and he dared to hope.

...

Sookie had the early shift and was getting ready to quit work for the day when Sam signaled her. "Sook, come on back to my office."

She finished turning her tables over to Arlene, who was just coming on, and headed to the back of the bar. "What's up, Sam?"

"Have a seat." Sookie sat. "I just wanted to say thanks for putting in the extra shifts. I have a new waitress coming in next week, so it ought to ease things up for everybody."

"That's great. I know Arlene will appreciate it. She likes to work when the kids are in school so she can be home when they are." Sookie could hear Sam's thoughts enough to know there was more. "What else, Sam?"

Sam rubbed his chin and ran his hand through his hair. "Brother Bede's back in town."

Surprised, she said, "Really? I didn't know he was here. When did he get in?"

"He's been here about a week."

"Wow. How come we haven't seen him at the bar?"

"From what I understand, he's been staying at Bill's place."

Sookie was silent. She knew where this conversation was going.

"I thought you ought to know, Sook. Brother Bede told me that Bill's not doing too well."

"We're not together anymore..."

Sam leaned back in his chair. "Come on, Sookie. You can't tell me you don't care."

"I have to not care, Sam, or I can't cope. It hurts too much."

"Look. I don't know what Bill told you, but whatever it was, it's eatin' him up. Brother Bede said he's been about ready to meet the sunrise a couple of times."

She didn't respond, but Sam could see a flash of anxiety cross her face.

"You know, Bill came to see me before he spoke to you."

"He did?"

"Yep. He was worried about you. Said that he had some things to tell you and asked me to look out for you. He said you'd probably never want to see him again, and that you wouldn't be able to fool yourself about what he was any more. I tried to talk him out of it."

She was perplexed. "Why would you do that, Sam?"

He sighed. "Because you were happy, Sook. You've been happier with Bill than I've ever seen you. I didn't want you to lose that. But I couldn't convince him. He didn't want you to hear the truth from anybody else. He said he owed it to you."

Sookie was angry, and her voice rose. "If you knew why he really came here, Sam... and what he'd done..."

"Look. I don't know what happened, and I don't know what brought him to Bon Temps. But whatever it was, you weren't entirely innocent yourself, Sook. You knew what he was the second he came into the bar, and nobody could talk any sense into you. Hell, Tara and I both tried, and we kept tryin'. Everybody tried to talk some sense into you, but you wouldn't hear it. Y'all were bound and determined to go running to meet the vamp. What did you think was gonna happen? This wasn't no Sunday school teacher sittin' in your section. This was a fuckin' _vampire_, and you damned sure knew what that meant. _Now_ you're shocked? Come on, Sookie..."

"I thought you were my friend. Whose side are you on, Sam?"

"I'm on yours. Whatever Bill's agenda was when he arrived, that's not what kept him here. Hell, Sook, the man walked in daylight trying to save you from Rene. He busted his ass to take care of you when you were sick. You didn't see his face when he thought you weren't going to make it – I did. I hated the son of a bitch, and he knew it. He went out of his way to make peace with me just to please you. God, how stubborn are you gonna be? Are y'all willing to give up a chance at being happy 'cause you're not willing to forgive him?"

He stood up and walked over to the sofa, pointing his finger at her. "Your Gran would be ashamed, Sookie." Sam walked out of the office, leaving the door open behind him.

...

Sookie sat by her grandmother's grave. She felt shell-shocked by her conversation with Sam earlier in the day. At first she was madder than hell that Sam was taking Bill's side without knowing what he had done to her. But as she sat there, she had to admit that there was truth in his words.

The first thing that she realized was that her Gran would damned sure have slapped her silly for her foolishness. Sam was right about that. She knew exactly what vampires were – that was part of the attraction. The ultimate "bad boy," living, if that was the word, outside of the rules. And that had appealed to her before she had ever met Bill Compton. For her entire life she had been watching people live according to the rules of polite society, all the while their thoughts revealing exactly the opposite. The hypocrisy of it all had sickened her from an early age. But a vampire lived by vampire rules, which essentially meant no rules at all, and made no claim to do otherwise. Sam was right about that, too. Bill had even warned her that first night. He had told her bluntly that vampires didn't have human values, and often turned on those who trusted them. She'd dismissed it with a flippant remark and gone back to work without a second thought.

How could she expect anything different? Legends, warnings from her friends, and Bill's own words had given her plenty of notice, and in her foolishness she had ignored it all. Stubborn Sookie. Thinking she knew better than everybody else.

"Gran, what an ass I've been."

She'd had no illusions about other vampires. She fully expected deviousness from Eric, Pam, Malcolm... what made her think that Bill would be different? For some reason she had held him to a different standard of behavior. When he had confessed to murdering Uncle Bartlett, she had been angry. But why? Bill had simply done what she had dreamed of since she was 8. He had avenged a previous wrong and protected her from future harm. Why should she have expected anything different? Vampires were notoriously possessive and jealously guarded what was theirs. And she had been Bill's. She had said so – in front of Eric, no less. She had accepted Bill's claim to her in public. And she proclaimed it at Merlotte's in front of the whole town the night Malcolm, Denise, and Liam had come in looking for Bill.

Even the Rattrays. She remembered what Bill had said to Tara. _"...__I didn't love Sookie then, but I was in her debt__..."_ He had used them to further his agenda by allowing them to beat her unmercifully... then made them pay for it by taking their lives and feeding from them.

In his own way, Bill was being true to vampire morality. It just wasn't human morality.

Forcing herself to be honest, it had been quite a rush knowing that Bill considered her "his." He was willing to kill to defend her, and it gave her a sick satisfaction to have her neighbors stand in fear. They had made her miserable all her life, and now the tables were turned. They no longer would insult her to her face for fear of what the vampire would do. Their thoughts may not have changed, but their behavior did.

And Bill made her feel powerful. The creature that the entire town feared was her lover. And thinking of that made her thoughts turn to sex.

She no longer doubted that Bill truly loved her. She didn't know when his love began, but by the time she had given him her virginity, it was evident. No one could have given her a more perfect experience. He was tender and gentle when she needed it. She smiled when she remembered his embarrassment over his fangs. He had been almost shy. She giggled to herself at the thought... a shy vampire, of all things.

When it came to sex, she could not have been more fortunate. Bill was a considerate and skilled lover. He could be as gentle as any Southern gentleman in one of Gran's romance novels, completely feral and savage, or anything in between. Under his tutelage, Sookie had come to revel in sex with him in all its forms. She remembered the encounter in the cemetery when she had thought Bill was gone. The exhilaration to find that he still survived, and the savagery she experienced for the first time that night when he had ravaged her in the dirt made her shiver at the memory.

Was she really any better off now? She was forced to admit that she missed Bill. She missed everything about him. She missed his smell and his touch. She missed the silence of his mind. She missed the adventure of learning about him and from him without being able to hear what he was thinking. She missed the comfort of Bill the man and the excitement of Bill the vampire.

All she had to do was give up her pride and her stubbornness.

All she had to do was forget who he was, and accept who he is.

All she had to do was get up from this damned grave, put on her shoes, and go to him.

...

* Romans 8:28


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter 48

"Are you sure you'll be all right, William?"

Brother Bede stood with his hand on the vampire's shoulder and a look of concern on his face, and Bill covered it with his own in reassurance.

"I'll be fine. But Sam will stake me for sure if you don't get out of here and visit the bar – and Lafayette and Tara will hold me down while he does it. Besides, you can't go another day without a decent meal. You've had precious little to work with – I haven't stocked the kitchen since Sookie left. But I promise, Bede, I won't do anything foolish while you're gone."

"Then I'll trust your word."

"I appreciate that, Brother. I need some time alone anyway. You've given me quite a lot to think about over the last several days."

"I hope I've been helpful, my friend."

"You have. More than you know."

"I'll be back tomorrow before you rise for the night, then, shall I?"

Bill nodded and watched from the door as the monk drove down the drive and headed to Sam's place.

He walked onto the porch and sat on the steps. There was so much he had to think about. Brother Bede's faith was extraordinary, but he also possessed a keen intellect an a knack for discernment. Bill hadn't thought much about God while he was alive and even less after he was murdered, except to direct an occasional curse at heaven for what had been done to him. Now, after talking to the monk, he considered other possibilities.

The first thought to come to his mind was, of course, Sookie. It had previously occurred to him once or twice that, had he not been turned by Lorena, he would never have met her. He would have died long before her parents, or even her grandparents, had been born. So now he had to decide... was it worth it? If he had been given a choice, would he have gone through death, the loss of his family, and subjugation by his maker to be with her?

He took the time to consider everything carefully. He didn't want to gloss over anything; it was too important. Everything he did or didn't do from this time on would be directly influenced by his answer. It behooved him to search himself deeply for his reasons, so he took his time, going over the details of his memories and examining himself and his motives carefully.

He considered Sookie herself. He found her beautiful and her blood delectable. But without those two attributes, would he still want to be with her? He ruminated on her illness. She hadn't been beautiful toward the end, but even when she had been so, so sick, he couldn't bear to be away from her. Wracked with fever and chills, gaunt, gray, and in pain, she had spent much of her time either asleep or unconscious. Still, he found even this time with her precious. Whatever it was that drew him to her, it was more than her appearance or the taste of her blood. There was something about Sookie herself... her attitude, her thoughts, her personality – her very being captivated him. Even if he never fed from her again, he still wanted to be with her. The thought of her growing old and frail didn't diminish his desire.

It had been more than two months since Sookie had left him, and Bill missed her. He knew he had hurt her terribly with his betrayal and his lies. But even if he never saw her again, he still loved her.

He still had no idea why the queen wanted Sookie. If it was merely for her telepathy, he was sure the queen would have said so. No, there was something else. Whatever her reasons, Sookie would be in danger. Eric could protect her from vampires in his jurisdiction, but that only held true as long as he wasn't overruled by Sophie-Ann.

Bill suddenly realized that regardless of the queen's plans for Sookie, he could protect her. It had been ages since he had thought about the venom he had developed. With Sookie's help, Bill had learned to control it and it hadn't merited a second thought for quite some time. Even his encounter with Eric had slipped his mind.

He put aside all thoughts of meeting the true death. He had plenty of time for that after Sookie had lived out her natural life. Meanwhile, as long as she lived, he would protect her. Certainly if he could best Eric, who was more than a thousand years old, he could handle a vampire queen of only three hundred or so. Sookie need never know. She could live her life as she pleased, without knowing about the danger hanging over her or chafing at the thought that she needed protection. He could give her back her safety and her independence. He could atone for his betrayal by restoring her life as it was before she met him.

Perhaps Bede was right. Perhaps there was a reason for him and Sookie to be here, together, at this time and place. Maybe he was here in Bon Temps to protect her. He'd been crushed when Dr. Ludwig discovered he was more deadly than other vampires, especially considering how young he was for one of his kind, and he was eager to discuss this newly discovered purpose with the monk.

As he sat on the steps turning possibilities over in his mind, a mild breeze came up. Unexpectedly, he caught Sookie's odor carried on the air, very faint, and his chest tightened with grief. It had happened before when she visited the cemetery and the breeze was just right, but not in the months since Sookie had left him.

_She's probably at Adele's grave again..._

He almost cursed his enhanced senses out of habit. But this was another ability that was more advanced than other vampires, an advantage that would be put to good use for Sookie in the future. So in spite of his sadness, he forced himself to be thankful for it, thinking that Brother Bede would be encouraged at his small attempt to turn his back on bitterness.

Bill sat with his elbows on his knees and his hands folded. He lowered his head and closed his eyes, trying to keep sorrow at bay. _Ahh... if only the breeze would shift..._

_..._

Sookie wiped the tears from her eyes as she sat against her grandmother's headstone. She was worn out. Too much had happened today and it was hard to make sense of it all. Her mind was roiling.

Before he had confessed to her, Bill had gone to Eric and arranged for her safety. He'd said as much himself, but it was confirmed when the big Viking had come to her at home to request her services. _Eric never goes to anybody... he just sits in that big chair like it's a damned throne or something and summons people to come to him... I wonder how Bill managed it..._ She disliked being anywhere near Eric but, by showing up as he did, he'd unwittingly verified the truth of Bill's words.

And then there was Sam. More and more, his words gnawed at her. Bill had gone to him, as well. He'd made arrangements for her to be taken care of before he confessed to her. She hadn't known a thing about it until Sam told her today. _Like he knew he wouldn't be around..._ Sudden understanding knocked the wind from her lungs.

"He knew, Gran. Bill knew, before he told me, that I would leave him." She shook her head trying to make sense of Bill's actions. _He knew I'd leave, but he made sure I'd be OK anyway..._

Sam had had a crush on her for a long time, and when Bill came to the bar that first night an immediate and intense rivalry had arisen between them. _Sam was right. Bill did swallow his pride when he went to him for help. _

And it wasn't just any kind of pride – it was vampire pride. Sookie knew all about vampire pride. Everybody did. Heaven knows, she had run smack into it enough times and not just with Bill. It was such an integral part of their nature that it was easier to imagine a vampire without fangs than without that damned, overweening pride. She couldn't imagine the self-command it had taken for him to ask for help from Sam, of all people. The mortification Bill must have felt when he went to the shifter suddenly struck her.

_Oh God... he really did care about me..._

Sookie was floored by her own selfishness. She'd been so focused on her own pain that she hadn't considered Bill at all, and the realization filled her with humiliation. It hadn't occurred to her until now that she wasn't the only one affected. Bill had been as hurt by this as she had – and for longer; he'd known what was coming. He'd anticipated how she would react, but had told her the truth anyway because he thought she deserved it.

She ran through the things that had happened since she met Bill, and every memory she examined suddenly had another side to it, another point of view, another set of consequences she just had ignored because it didn't affect her. It was hard to cope with her new opinion of herself. _I'm nothing like the person I thought I was..._ The more she thought about it, the more distraught she became. Aloud, she sobbed, "Oh Gran, what did I do?"

Sookie slipped on her shoes and ran from the grave.

...

Bill sat on the step, holding onto his composure with all his strength and waiting for the breeze to die down. He could have easily gone inside to escape her scent, but he had to learn how to endure it calmly if he was going to shadow Sookie as her unseen guardian, and he thought he may as well start now.

_There it goes..._

The air shifted its direction but brought no relief. Instead of growing fainter, Sookie's odor was more pronounced.

_Damn..._

Bill struggled. He ached at Sookie's absence. He would have given anything to undo what he'd done. If only he had met her outside of the queen's agenda. If only he had walked into Sam's place that night with no other intention than to get a TruBlood and sit a while. Fantasy overtook his imagination. It would have been wonderful to meet Sookie that way, with no ulterior motives or schemes, of his own volition instead of at the orders of another. Bill quashed his imaginings. _I'll catch my death of what ifs..._

He tried to calm himself. It was difficult to regain his focus with Sookie's odor tickling his nostrils. He didn't even notice the sound until it got closer. When it did catch his attention, he wasn't at all sure he could trust his ears. He opened his eyes and looked up at the sound of running.

_It can't be..._

He stood and came down the steps, astonished by the sight of Sookie running blindly through the cemetery toward him, tears flowing down her face. Alarmed, he hurried to meet her, catching her in his arms.

"Sookie? What's wrong? Are you all right?"

She held on to him tightly, trying to get her words out around her sobs.

"I'm sorry, Bill. I just can't do this any more... please... let me come back. I want to come back..."

"Come back?" Bill's face showed his confusion. "Of _course_ you can come back... My God, I would love to have you back..." He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close lest she vanish. "But I don't understand, Sookie. Why are you apologizing? You've done nothing wrong. It was me..."

Sookie was unable to speak. Bill held her by her shoulders and looked into her face. He untucked the tail of his shirt and wiped her eyes with it. "Tell me."

Looking away, she said, "Sam talked to me today. He told me some things I didn't want to hear."

"Such as?"

"He said I had no reason to be upset with you for acting like a vampire. I knew what you were the minute you walked into the bar. Everybody warned me." She looked up at him. "Even you warned me, Bill. Sam said that whatever was going on between you and me was just as much my fault." She hesitated and swallowed, and her eyes began to stream. "He said Gran would've been ashamed of me."

He cupped her face in one hand and ran his thumb across her lower lip. "Then perhaps we've both made mistakes, Miss Stackhouse. I guess we have quite a bit of talking to do."

She nodded. "Yeah, I guess so."

Bill smiled as he looked at her. Unable to help himself, he leaned forward and kissed her softly. Sookie returned his kiss and was overwhelmed. _Oh God, how could I have run from this... from him..._ She was filled with his smell and his taste and pressed herself into him, moaning into his mouth. His arms tightened around her, his fangs extending of their own accord.

Throughout their separation, Bill had avoided humans – their very existence reminded him of what he had lost when Sookie left. It was too painful. He'd subsisted only on synthetic blood. He'd had no human blood since he'd last fed on her. Neither had he had sex since she'd gone – something unheard of in a vampire, but his sorrow at her absence had simply been too great. Now, with Sookie back in his arms, he felt his self-control disintegrating.

Even without a blood connection, Sookie could feel Bill's need. She could feel the urgency in his kiss. She could hear the faintest beginnings of a feral growl building in his chest and feel the hardness in his trousers as he pressed against her. Sookie wanted him, and she wanted him to be what he was. But she also knew that if he succumbed to his lust now, within minutes of her return, he would be mortified by his lack of restraint. Sookie couldn't bear the thought of causing him more pain. She released his mouth and pulled away. Looking into his face, she saw his eyes black with lust.

She whispered to him, "Take me under our tree, Bill."

Bill was still and silent. He could feel his control slipping. His hunger was immense, and he ached to plunge his fangs into her and feed. The pain in his groin screamed for release. But she had come back, and she wanted him. Even after all that he had done, she wanted him. She knew what he needed and was giving him permission.

_No... not like this. Never again like this..._ Bill forced himself to retract his fangs and he clenched his teeth. Loosening his grip on the woman in his arms, he backed away, closed his eyes, and struggled for control.

_Oh God, it's too late... he doesn't want me..._ Sookie stammered. "Bill? Is there... I mean, is there something wrong? Should I leave?"

"Sookie... we... I... I can't go back... not like it was before."

Sookie was crushed and her vision blurred with unshed tears. "I'm sorry... "

"No, you don't understand. This... it's not enough. I need more. I can't lose you again, Sookie. I couldn't survive it, not a second time."

"I don't understand."

"Marry me, Sookie. Please."

Sookie gasped in surprise and shock, unsure of what she had heard. _What?... what?..._

"What?"

"Marry me. Be my wife."

_What?..._

"Married? We can't get married... it's not even legal."

"It is in Vermont. We can be married there."

_Is he serious?..._

"Gran always wanted me to be married in church... "

"Then we'll get the legalities done by a justice of the peace in Vermont and have a church wedding here."

_But... but..._

"No church will marry a vampire and a human..."

"We'll figure something out."

_What?... _

"Bill, I'm not like you. I'm going to age. I'll get old and ugly..."

"I don't care."

"...and die..."

"So will I. I won't survive without you."

_He can't possibly mean this..._

"But... but where will we live?"

"Anywhere you want. As long as I'm with you, I don't care where we live."

_Oh God... this can't be real... it can't be... I... I ... God help me..._

"What about my job?"

"Keep your job. Or give it up. Whatever makes you happy."

_He's really... this... oh wow... what... what do I do?... _

She stammered, "You... I mean... this... is this for real? Are you serious, Bill?"

His voice bespoke complete conviction. "Absolutely, Miss Stackhouse."

Sookie looked at him in shock, her thoughts reeling, her heart pounding in her chest so hard that her ears rang. She couldn't get her breath and her knees threatened to give way. _My God, he __is__ serious... he wants to marry me... he's actually asking me... _As the realization of his proposal sank in, her expression slowly changed and she smiled. She said, "Where's the ring?"

Bill's face fell, and he looked abashed. "Well, I thought you never wanted to see me again. Tonight was unexpected. I've had no time to prepare..."

"Uh huh... so I'm supposed to believe you want to marry me and you don't even have a ring." Putting her hands on her hips, she glowered at him. "What the hell kind of proposal is this, Bill? It's pretty damned shoddy. You didn't even get down on one knee."

Realizing that she was pulling his leg, and that it had come off in her hand, Bill stood ramrod-straight with a look of mock severity on his face that threatened to dissolve into a grin at any moment. "It's a most serious proposal, Miss Stackhouse. And had I gotten down on one knee, I would have had to let you go and you might have run off again. I couldn't risk that, not until you'd heard me out. You have a maddening tendency not to listen."

Sookie blushed. "Yeah, you're right about that." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, taking a few moments to let her heartbeat calm and her breathing slow while Bill stood watching her, waiting. Looking up into his eyes, she said, "Oh God, just kiss me, Bill."

"No."

"No? What do you mean, 'no?' "

"You haven't answered me yet, Miss Stackhouse. You'll get no kisses from these dead lips until I have an answer."

"That's not fair."

"You're right. It's not."

"That's coercion."

"Yes."

"Extortion."

"Absolutely."

"Have you no shame, Bill Compton?"

"When it comes to you? None at all."

"You're horrible."

"I'm a vampire, Sookie. I believe 'horrible' is a given."

She sighed. "Don't remind me." She paused. "So what happens if I say no?"

"Then I'll feed from you, ravish you, and leave you exhausted at dawn."

"And if I say yes?"

"I'll feed from you, ravish you, and leave you exhausted at dawn for the rest of your life."

"Wow. You sure know how to sweet talk a girl."

Bill watched the play of emotions run across her face, then reached out to run his hand through her hair. In a more serious tone, he said, "Do you need time to think about it, Sookie?"

She shook her head. "No. No I don't. I've been miserable without you, Bill. Even when I was mad, I was miserable. I was so ticked at you for acting like a vampire... I mean, I told you I loved that part of you, then ran off 'cause you acted like... like _you_. So before I answer, I need to ask you to forgive me."

"Oh, Sookie. You're my heart. How could I not?"

She looked into his eyes, her own glistening with tears. "Then my answer is yes. Yes, I will marry you, Mr. Compton."

Bill's face showed his happiness at her answer, and he folded her into his arms and kissed her. Sookie leaned into him, feeling at peace for the first time in months.

"_Now_ will you take me? Under our tree?"

"I'd be delighted."

...

Sookie found herself beneath the great oak faster than she could catch her breath. Bill had lifted her and carried her there at vampire speed.

Standing before him, she smiled. "I guess you missed me, huh?"

"Sweetheart, you have no idea." He ran his hands through her hair, lifting the strands to his face to breathe in her odor, then kissed her softly.

She moved closer to unbutton his shirt and slipped it from his shoulders. Bill stood motionless, watching her every movement as she undressed him, unable to believe she was actually here with him. She shut her eyes and ran her hands over his chest, taking her time, then leaned in close to kiss his skin and taste his scent on her palate. Her fingers found his belt and she unbuckled it, opening his trousers and pushing them down. Bill stepped out of them, kicking them aside along with his shoes and socks. Sookie hooked her fingers in the waistband of his boxers, toying with it and running her hands around his waist, then pushed them down also. Stepping out of them as well, Bill stood before her naked, unmoving, fully erect, and waiting.

Caressing his buttocks, Sookie kissed him and moved her hands up his sides and over his chest, then wrapped her arms around him and stroked his well-muscled back. He could feel her heartbeat increase its strength and speed. Her breath became more rapid. Bill put his hands on her waist, pulling her closer. Her hardening nipples pressed against him through her clothing, increasing his desire for her. He reached in back of her to grasp the hem of her blouse and ripped it apart.

Sookie was startled by Bill rending her clothing and the sudden rush of cool air against her spine. Gasping, she shivered under his touch as Bill's hands slid up her back and wrenched apart her bra. He released her just enough to slip her ruined garments from her and pulled her back into an iron embrace. He slid his hands into her shorts, beneath her panties, and kneaded her buttocks, nuzzling her neck from the base up to her ear. She trembled as his lips traveled across her skin. When he reached her ear, Sookie could feel more than hear the rumble of lust beginning to arise from his chest and she whispered his name as wetness spilled from her.

The odor of her arousal was more than Bill could stand. He suddenly released Sookie and shredded the remainder of her clothing, tearing it from her body. He lifted her in his arms and placed her onto the fragrant grass beneath the tree. Spreading her legs, he knelt between them and slid his hands down her thighs past her ankles, slipping the shoes from her feet. He paused for a moment, looking at her spread-eagled on the grass, ready for him, watching her breasts rise and fall with her breathing.

Sookie couldn't take her eyes off of Bill as he knelt before her, his pale skin giving him a ghostly, almost ethereal appearance in the dark. She trembled as much with fear as with anticipation at this deadly creature poised between her thighs. Her hands clutched the earth beside her and she closed her eyes as Bill slid his hands beneath her knees. She could feel his cool fingers lift her, spreading her even wider. She jumped when his lips softly kissed the inside of her knee and traveled slowly up her thigh, and when he reached her mound and buried his face in her hair, she moaned. He began to pleasure her with his mouth, and Sookie was astonished. He hadn't done this before, and she was suddenly overcome by a multitude of emotions. She was embarrassed by the overwhelming intimacy as he ran his tongue between her folds and into her opening. She was aroused by the sensations of Bill's skilled ministrations as his lips and tongue explored her closely. Her nerves tingled in ways she had never felt, and she wanted to escape the intensity of the sensation, but at the same time she hungered for more. She was in turmoil. She was left gasping as he abruptly stopped and she felt his fangs tear into her femoral artery, and she flashed back to when Bill had drained her. He growled as he fed, and Sookie was pushed past her limits.

"Oh God, Bill..." she gasped. "I need you, please..."

Bill pulled his mouth from her groin, pricking a finger with a fang to rub his blood over the gaping wound to close it. He slipped the head of his engorged penis between her folds and Sookie could feel his thickness stretch her as he pushed himself fully into her vault. Her breath caught. Tilting her hips to encourage him, she wrapped her legs around him to hold him tightly within, desperate for her flesh to remain joined to his.

He filled her with long, loving strokes, thrilled by the sensation of her legs clamped around him, her muscles pulling him into her farther with every thrust. He could smell the fear beneath her arousal, and it excited his vampiric nature. She was his willing victim, fright mixed with desire, and it was a heady brew. His growls became louder and his thrusts more violent. Sookie wound her fingers in his hair and pulled his face down to hers, and began to suck venom from his fangs. Her lust and her fear, combined with a prolonged period of abstinence, was more than Bill could stand. With a roar and a final violent thrust, he emptied himself into her.

Sookie nearly blacked out from the taste of Bill's venom and the sensation of his pulsating phallus filling her with semen. Her back arched in a spasm that lifted both her and Bill from the earth, and she screamed in climax, her voice and his echoing through the woods.


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Sookie sat on Bill's lap beneath the tree, kissing him and playing with his fangs. Bill returned her kisses ardently until she had to take a breath. Leaning his forehead against hers, he said, "I can't believe this isn't a dream, Sookie. I thought after I told you what brought me here I'd lose you forever."

Taking his face in her hands, she looked at him and asked,"Why did you tell me, Bill? I could have gone my whole life without ever finding out."

"I couldn't keep lying to you. You deserve so much more than that. I told you, it's a miserable existence and I just wanted to be rid of it all." He looked into her eyes with intensity. "If I couldn't be truthful with you, Sookie, when could I ever be? Besides, as bad as it was for me to tell you, it would have been worse had you found out from someone else. It was only a matter of time. You would have found out eventually."

"I don't see how."

"Well, I'm sure Eric would have gotten around to it."

"Eric? He knew?"

"I'm not certain, but it wouldn't surprise me. I've found over the years that there isn't much Eric doesn't know. But he isn't one to reveal anything unless it's to his advantage. Like I said, it was only a matter of time. And I am so sick of being ambushed by the past... my past."

"Like Lorena, and the mess in Dallas."

"Exactly." Bill looked grim. "I don't ever again want to be in a position like that where you're concerned, Sookie. No matter how ugly, you can ask me anything." A small smile lifted the corner of his mouth. "Just don't run off until I tell you the whole story, OK?"

Sookie blushed, and Bill's nostrils flared at the scent of her blood beneath the skin. "I'll try."

She rubbed herself against his bare skin, and Bill returned her gesture by stroking hers lightly, making her shiver. "Tonight was wonderful, Bill. Why didn't you ever do that to me before?"

"There is so much I want to show you, Sweetheart. But after what you went through with your uncle... I just thought that it would be easier for you if I took my time. Besides, I like surprising you."

"Well, you sure did. I didn't know I could even feel some of those things. And if I'd known how hot it was to be bitten there, I never would have hollered at you the first time you mentioned it."

"Like I said, it's a particular favorite of mine."

"Mine too, I think. But I guess that all depends on what other surprises you have for me." Sookie leaned in to kiss him again. "I sure missed this, Bill. I don't ever want to be apart again."

"We won't have to be, Sookie."

"I can't believe you actually asked me to marry you."

He lifted an eyebrow in inquiry. "Why?"

"It's just that I never thought anybody would ever want me. I couldn't even get through a date without it turning into a disaster. I couldn't imagine anybody actually loving me that way. I said Gran wanted me to be married in a church, but I just figured that was never gonna happen. The married part, I mean."

"How fortunate for me, then." He kissed her, then, "Would you mind terribly if I didn't get you an engagement ring, Sookie? I have something else in mind."

"Something else?"

"Yes. Something special for your left hand. But I'm afraid it will clash with an engagement ring."

"OK. But I want something."

"Anything, Sweetheart."

"I don't want to tell anybody just yet. "

Bill's face assumed a haughty expression and his voice became stern with pretended offense. "Are you ashamed of me, Miss Stackhouse?"

She giggled. "No! I just want it to be our secret for a while, to kind of enjoy it in private, just you and me. The way gossip burns through this town, everybody will find out soon enough, anyway "

He smiled. "All right. But I would like to tell Brother Bede. I think he can be trusted not to tell anyone else until we're ready."

"Sam said he helped you a lot."

"He did." He could feel her grip tighten.

"Some of the stuff he said scared the bejeebers out of me. Were you really going to meet the sun, Bill?"

With a nod, he said, "I was. But I couldn't leave you unprotected, Sookie. As much as I couldn't bear to be without you, I couldn't stand the thought that something might happen to you. If it weren't for that..."

She shuddered. "I didn't know."

"I didn't want you to."

"I'm glad that Brother Bede was there for you."

"So am I. He gave me something to hope for." He paused. "You know, Sookie, he's convinced that God wants us to be together. He told me as much the first night he arrived."

"Really?"

"Yes." He related to her the conversation he'd had with Bede the night the monk discovered the him sitting in the darkness, alone. Sookie's eyes widened in wonder. "He'll be back tomorrow night. I'd like to tell him about us then, if you don't mind."

"Of course. Where'd he go tonight?"

"To Sam's. I needed some time alone to think over what he'd said, and the poor man hasn't had a decent meal since he's been here."

"That's not like you. You're usually a better host than that."

"Well, without you here, there was no point buying food. So, I'm afraid the pantry was rather bare when Bede showed up."

Sookie yawned.

Bill ran his hands through her hair, then down her back to her buttocks, caressing them . "Tired, Sweetheart?"

She leaned against him. "Yeah, I am Bill. So much has happened today... I'm just worn out."

"I should get you to bed, then."

"That sounds wonderful. It'll be nice sleeping with you again. I really missed it."

"Sookie, beneath the floor is not a fit place for you."

"It was when I was sick."

"That was necessary. You were so ill... "

"Yeah? Well this is necessary, too. I'm going to be your wife, Bill Compton, and any place that is a place for you is a place for me."

"Sweetheart ..."

She pressed her naked body against his, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Look, Bill. It's been a wonderful evening. If y'all want to spoil it with a fight, I'll be more than happy to oblige. But it won't change anything. I'm sleeping with you. I'm not asking for your permission – I'm telling you. So you may as well get used to the idea."

"My God, you are a stubborn, contentious, and ill-tempered woman, Sookie Stackhouse... perhaps I proposed too soon..."

"Maybe. But you did, and I won't let you take it back. You're stuck with me now, Mr. Compton, and I'm damned sure not letting you get away. So decide, mister... are we going to bed, or are we going to fight?"

Bill smiled. "I think I'll take my fiancée to bed."

...

Sookie snuggled against Bill in the darkness beneath the floor, running her fingers across his cool skin, and whispered. "Thanks for the robe, Bill."

"After the ruin I made of your clothes, I can't have you traipsing back home in the daylight in nothing but your skin."

"I thought you liked my skin."

"I do, Sweetheart, but you're mine and I'm not sharing."

"Vampire jealously again, huh?"

"Did you expect something different?"

"No, not really." Sookie was quiet for a moment, enjoying the enticing odor of her vampire mixed with the smell of the earth beneath the joists. "Bill, can we have our blood bond back?"

"I would like that. But I would prefer to wait until after we're wed, Sookie. I want you to be completely free when we take our vows."

"That's important to you, huh?"

"It is. For all those years with Lorena I had no ability to choose anything for myself. The freedom I felt when she finally released me... I wish I could explain how much it meant. It's something I want for you." He kissed her hair.

"All right. But the minute those vows are said, I want it back. I don't want to wait one more minute than I have to."

"Yes, Miss Stackhouse."

Sookie ran her hand down his belly to his pubic hair and stroked him, cupping his testicles in her warm fingers and smiling in the blackness as his penis grew hard beneath her hand. A shiver of excitement ran through her.

"Again, Sookie?"

"Oh yes..."

Sliding his hands into her open robe, he pulled her atop his body and guided her onto his rigid penis, saying, "Are you sure you're not a vampire, Sweetheart?"

She made a small moan as she felt him find his home within her flesh, and she pushed herself as close to him as she could in the confined space beneath the house. She felt the head of his organ kiss her cervix and broke out in a sweat. "Oh God, Bill... I don't know what I am." She clutched him tightly with her thighs as her body made sinuous movements against his, and his fingers made long scratches down the skin of her back.

...

Tapping on the jamb of Sam's office door, Sookie spoke. "Hey Sam, y'all got a minute?"

Sam looked up from his paperwork, swiveling his chair away from the desk. "Sure Sookie. What's up?"

Sookie walked in and leaned against the doorway, her hands in the pockets of her bar apron. "I just wanted to say thanks for yesterday. I didn't like what you had to say, but I sure needed to hear it."

"Well, no problem Sook. If I knew it was going to do you this much good, I would'a spoke up sooner. You seem like your old self today."

"Yeah, well sooner and I might not have paid enough attention. 'Specially the part about Gran being ashamed of me."

"I'm sorry about that one. I knew that hurt the minute it came out of my mouth."

"Don't be sorry, Sam. She would've been ashamed. Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks for being a friend when I needed one."

"Well, y'all're welcome."

She changed the subject. "So how's Liz? I've been a little preoccupied with my pity party lately and haven't asked how you two are doing at all."

Sam's face lit up. "She's real good."

"You sweet on her, Sam?"

"Well, yeah. Yeah, I think I am. You don't mind, do you?"

"Not a bit. I think you two are good together."

"I'm thinkin' of telling her, Sookie."

"Seriously? About being a shifter?"

"Yep. I want her to know."

"Y'all think she can handle it?"

"Boot camp, combat, ICU... I don't think there's much she can't handle. Anyway, I want her to know before things get much more serious. I don't want any secrets between us, you know? Not like..." Sam suddenly stopped and reddened as he realized what he was about to say.

"Not like me and Bill."

"Well, yeah."

"I think it's a great idea, Sam. If she wants to talk to somebody about it, have her give me a call, OK?"

"All right."

Sookie stood away from the door and prepared to return to the dining room, her break over. "Heaven knows, I've dealt with enough weirdness myself. Maybe I can give her a few pointers."

Sam chuckled. "Maybe."

...

Brother Bede came through the door and discovered Bill relaxing on the sofa with a book. "William? I'm back..."

Bill put down his book and gestured to the coffee table where a glass of Cabernet was waiting. "Brother, welcome. I have a glass of wine for you."

Bede stood still, examining the vampire closely. "What's happened William?"

Smiling, he answered. "You're quite perceptive, Bede. I find it difficult to keep things from you."

The monk stood in silence, watching, until Bill spoke. "Sookie and I have reconciled."

Clapping his hands, he shouted, "Oh how WONDERFUL William! I'm so happy! Yes, yes, yes..." Bill stood as the monk hurried over to hug him. "I knew it! I just knew it, William! Didn't I tell you the Lord was up to something?"

"More than even you would have expected, I think."

"Oh my, my, my! " He sat on the sofa with his hands clasped and a grin lighting his face. "Is there anything you can share, William?"

Bill returned to his seat. "Of course. But only with you for the moment. Sookie and I, well, we'd like to keep it to ourselves for now."

"Of course, of course... I'm humbled that you would even consider confiding in me at all..."

"I've asked Sookie to be my wife, Brother Bede, and she has accepted."

The monk was stunned, speechless, and looked at Bill with his mouth agape.

"Brother Bede? Are you all right?"

Bede began to tremble. He reached for his glass of wine, but his hand shook so that the red liquid splashed over the brim.

Bill stood up, a worried expression on his face. "Bede?"

The monk gave up his attempt to lift the glass and replaced it on the table. He looked about the room without seeing it, his hands on his knees, clasping and unclasping. His breathing became rapid and his heart began to pound.

Now with a note of urgency in his voice, Bill repeated his name. "Bede?"

"I... I... oh my..."

Bill squatted next to the monk and placed a hand on his shoulder. The coolness of his touch seemed to steady the man and he looked the vampire in the eyes.

"I ... oh my Lord... married... married... "

Bill hadn't expected this kind of reaction. He was taken aback at the shock that the brother exhibited, and was suddenly unsure of himself.

"Bede... what's wrong?"

"Wrong? Wrong? You... you and Sookie... married... I... I... it's just... " The monk's eyes filled with tears. "Oh my, William... it's just that... I never expected, I mean... " Steadying himself, he grasped the wine glass with both hands and drank it down completely. "Saints preserve us. Married... Jesus, Mary, and Joseph... "

Bill frowned. "I thought you'd be happy for us, Brother. "

"Happy? Happy? Oh my Lord, William, if I was any happier I think I just might have a stroke..." He fanned himself with a hand.

Bill grinned.

...

The bar was busy with an after-dinner rush of folks coming in to relax over a few beers. Sam was hustling to keep up with orders behind the bar and in the middle of the all the activity the phone rang. He looked up at the clock; it was 10 p.m. Exactly.

"SOOKIE...Y'ALL WANT TO GET THAT DAMNED PHONE?"

Sookie excused herself from the table where she was taking orders, telling the customers she'd be right back, and hurried to the bar. With a look of disgust on his face, Sam pulled the receiver from the wall and handed it to her without bothering to see who it was, and Sookie covered the mouthpiece with her hand.

"This is gettin' old, Sook," Sam said.

"Well, it's your own fault, Sam Merlotte," she replied. "If y'all hadn't opened your mouth, he wouldn't be calling here all the time."

Sam scowled and returned to his work. As he walked away, she said, "It's making me nuts, too..." then put the phone to her ear.

"Hello, Jason."

"Hey Sookie. How're doing?"

"Same as I was last night, Jason, and the night before that, 'cept I'm about a hair closer to Sam firing me."

"Aw, he'd never do that, Sook."

"He might if y'all don't quit calling me at work."

"I'm worried about you."

"I told you. I'm fine."

"But you damn near died..."

"Yeah, but I didn't, Jason, and there was nothing you could've done anyway 'cept worry. Everybody took good care of me, I'm perfectly fine, and it's been all over for weeks now...I swear on Gran's grave. "

"You still should'a told me. Y'all're the only family I got left."

Sookie sighed. "I know you care about me. I love you too. But really, Jason, you've GOT to stop calling me every night. It's making me nuts, and Sam's about at the end of his rope. Please?"

"But..."

"Jason, I promise. From now on I'll let you know if anything's wrong, OK? "

"Well... all right. If you're swearing on Gran's grave, I guess you mean it."

"I do. When's your next day off?"

"Well, there ain't no big fires right now, just a lot of mop up, so they're lettin' a bunch of us have Wednesday unless something else starts burnin'."

"OK. Y'all call me on Wednesday, then. Tell Jessica and Hoyt 'hey' for me, OK? It's busy and I gotta get back to work."

"Sure Sis. I'll call y'all on Wednesday. Bye."

Sookie handed the phone to Sam. "I think he'll quit calling me at work now."

Sam hung up the receiver. "Yeah? I heard you tell him you'd let him know if anything was wrong. You gonna tell him about you and Bill splittin' up?"

She dug through the pockets of her apron for her order pad and pen, then looked up at her boss. "There's nothing to tell, Sam." She turned on her heel and returned to her tables, leaving Sam shaking his head.

...

"So, you see my dilemma, Brother."

"Oh my, my, my... I certainly do, William. Have you any ideas?"

"Well, I was wondering if you would perform the ceremony."

"Me? Me? I'm honored that you'd ask me, but I'm not a priest. Not even a deacon. It don't think it would be a valid marriage if I performed the rite. I'm not sure I would even be granted permission."

"I don't think it matters if it's an official church rite, but it's important to Sookie that we're married before God. I don't think she would feel properly wed with just a civil ceremony. Do you have any idea what would be necessary to accomplish this for us?"

"Well, I can't speak for any other church, William, just my own. And I'm certainly no expert on canon law... let me think... well, the bishop of the diocese in question would have to grant a dispensation if one of the parties isn't Catholic, but neither you nor Sookie are Catholic, so I don't know how that would work if the celebrant is Catholic. Normally, if you wanted a member of my community to perform the rite, permission would have to be obtained from the local abbot and, in your case, probably from the head of our order as well. What else... oh, both parties must be baptized for it to be sacramental marriage... Were you baptized, William?"

"Yes, in my human life. I was about 10 years of age, if I remember correctly. My father wasn't much interested in religion, but my mother was a God-fearing woman."

"Well, that's one thing we don't have to worry about, thank goodness. I have no idea if baptism is even valid for a person who isn't alive. The Church doesn't approve of the practice of proxy baptism for the dead, but baptism of the animated dead has never been addressed that I know of. I suppose that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith would be involved, certainly the matrimonial and theological offices..." His voice trailed off as he considered the situation.

Bill sighed and shifted in his chair. "It seems like an insurmountable problem, Bede."

Bede looked up at the vampire. "William, two days ago you were on the verge of walking into the sun because Sookie had left you. Today, you and she are pledged to wed. God can accomplish anything, my friend. If He wants you married before Him, in faith, then nothing can stop it. And if He doesn't, nothing can make it happen."

"This is important to Sookie, so it's important to me. What's your opinion, Bede? Do you think it's possible?"

"Mine? I told you, William. I believe the Lord has brought you together for His purposes. And He's not one to mete out His blessings with a pair of tweezers. No, no, no... 'a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing.' * The obstacles are horrendous. The amount of red tape alone could strangle a city – and nobody is fonder of red tape than the Roman Curia! In fact, if I remember correctly, they invented it... something about Henry VIII... " He shook himself as he returned to the subject at hand. "But I believe it will happen. In spite the apparent difficulties ahead, I believe that you and Sookie will be married in the eyes of God. I don't think He would settle for less. How He intends to go about it, I have no idea. But it will be quite exciting to watch... yes, yes, yes!"

He leapt up from his seat. "I should head back to Metairie, William."

Surprised, the vampire rose with him. "Now?"

"Yes. If I leave now I could be back for Lauds, but certainly no later than Prime. There's much to do – my, my, my!"**

Bill spoke as the monk ran back to the kitchen with his long-empty glass. "I don't want you falling asleep on the road..."

Bede returned with his face animated by a grin. "Oh William! Do you really think I could sleep after all this? My mind is so full of possibilities... yes, yes, yes!" He ran up the stairs to retrieve his suitcase.

...

Sam looked up from the bar as the door opened, surprised to see Bill walk in. Immediately, the atmosphere changed as patrons noticed his arrival, and an undercurrent of whispers was added to the general noise. Sam glanced back to the prep area but didn't see Sookie. When he looked up, the vampire was coming toward him.

"Howdy Bill. Can I get you an O-neg?"

"Yes, please Sam."

"I didn't think I'd see you again."

"Neither did I."

Bill sat at the bar and watched as Sam warmed the bottle of blood. When he placed it on the bar, he noted the vampire's nostrils flare and his eyes blacken. Sam lowered his voice. "You OK?"

"Sookie's here."

"Yeah, she's on tonight. There ain't gonna be any trouble, is there, Bill?"

Bill shook his head and picked up the bottle. "Not from me."

"You know, Sookie hasn't said a word about what happened between you two."

"Then I'll honor her decision, Sam."

"All right." He paused. "So what brings you to the bar?"

"Brother Bede left tonight. He asked me to make his apologies for not saying his farewell in person."

"That's not like him."

"It was rather sudden. He had some urgent business to attend to in Metairie, and from there he was returning to Rome."

"Hey Sam..."

Sam and Bill looked up to see Sookie coming from the back. She stopped when she saw Bill, and he nodded to her. "Miss Stackhouse."

She returned his nod. "Mr. Compton."

Sam interrupted. "What's up, Sook?"

"Lafayette said to tell you those crawdads you picked up this morning are no good. He wanted to know if you could return 'em and get something fresher for his special before Friday."

"Yeah, tell him I'll take care of it first thing tomorrow."

"All right." She addressed Bill. "Josh will be glad to see you. You're the only one who'll play pool with him."

"Would my presence bother you, Miss Stackhouse?"

"Not a bit." She turned on her heel and went back to the kitchen.

Bill finished his blood and stood. "Well, message delivered. I'll see you another time, Sam, if that's OK with you."

"As long as there's no trouble, I have no problem with you visiting the bar. And Sookie's right. Josh will be glad to see you back."

Sam watched the vampire leave, then turned to fill a waiting order.

...

Sookie tiptoed out the back door and into the woods behind the bar. Standing in the dark, she whispered, "Bill?"

A figure from the blackness appeared behind her and lifted her from the ground, covering her mouth to muffle her scream as she was carried deeper into the dark. Sookie found herself wrapped in Bill's arms as he covered her mouth with his. She could feel his hardness against her body and she gasped.

"God, Bill, I was about to jump you right there in front of Sam and the whole town."

"I almost gave us away. Sam saw my eyes change." He looked at her with smoldering eyes. "How much time do you have, Sookie?"

"Damn. Not enough. But maybe enough for a quick nip..." She pulled her top off over her head and reached around to unclasp her bra. Bill growled and pulled her to him, and Sookie held on as his fangs found her breast.

Finishing quickly, Bill closed the wounds on her breast and licked her clean, grinning as he did so. "We don't want any blood giving us away..."

Sookie stood on her toes to give him a quick kiss. "No we certainly don't." She dressed quickly, Bill using his enhanced vision to make sure there were no tell-tale traces of vegetation on her hair or clothing. "Meet me after work?" she said.

"Of course. We have plans to make." He stood and watched until she returned safely to the bar.

...

*Luke 6:36-38

**Liturgy of the Hours: Lauds is approximately 3 a.m.; Prime approximately 6 a.m.


	50. Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Clad only in jeans, barefoot and shirtless, Bill paused, balancing effortlessly on a branch 20 feet above the ground and scanning the area below for his prey, his vantage point allowing him to search a wide area without being seen. It had been quite some time since he had indulged his predatory instincts, and he was thoroughly enjoying himself. As a child, he had enjoyed hunting. It was a necessary chore to supplement the family table, but he had relished the time spent tracking game with his father. It was one of the few occasions he could be alone with him, and he never felt closer to his dad than he did on those long treks through the woods. Perhaps that's why he had loved it as much as he had.

His turning had, of necessity, changed his hunting habits. His prey was now human rather than animal and in many ways less challenging. Bill could never make up his mind if hunting game had been more interesting because animals were more wary than people or if his enhanced abilities made it too easy to hunt humans. As he became more experienced and learned to glamour, he no longer had to kill but he still would treat himself to a hunt occasionally. He would single out an unsuspecting human and stalk his victim until the point of the kill, and then simply terminate the exercise and allow the person to go on his or her way unmolested, oblivious to their peril.

He entertained himself tonight to pass the time while waiting for Sookie to get off work. The thought of their charade earlier brought a small smile to his face, and the irony of Sookie joining him in deception after the effort he'd undergone to be honest with her was not lost on him.

...

Sookie was on her way home. She was eager to see her fiancé. She turned the word over in her mind and grinned. She felt as excited as a high school girl doodling the name of her boyfriend in her notebook, trying out her name with his to see how it would feel to write it out.

She was so preoccupied she almost missed the turn to her house; she had to remind herself not to drive to Bill's. As far as anybody in town knew, they weren't together any more – and if her little yellow Gremlin were seen in his driveway it would most certainly give them away. Sookie hugged her secret close to her heart as she pulled in front of her house and ran inside to change for the evening. She felt in the midst of a romantic conspiracy, and it was marvelous. For once her business was hers alone. She wasn't under the scrutiny of every person in Bon Temps and, since no one knew about her engagement to the vampire, she wasn't subjected to a flood of nasty thoughts about it. She knew that eventually the secrecy would end, but while it lasted she was determined to savor every second of it.

...

Bill dropped soundlessly to the earth. He had chosen his victim. This time his quarry was a young woman, and he followed her stealthily as she walked through the dark unaware of his presence. He admired her shapely legs beneath the short skirt and the sway of her hips as she walked. His fangs extended and his eyes blackened. This was going to be fun.

...

Sookie strolled through the cemetery to Bill's house. She was distracted and scarcely aware of her surroundings. All she could think of was how excited she was to see him. Just a little more than 24 hours ago, her life had been hopeless. She'd been alone with no chance of ever being happy. Now she was reconciled with Bill, the one person she could be herself with. She had come to a new understanding of her own character and his, as well. She considered stopping at Gran's grave to tell her the news. She knew it didn't matter one way or the other, but it had become a ritual. She would go to the grave and tell Gran all the news and the latest gossip just as she had done when her grandmother was alive. It was comforting and she didn't feel the pain of Gran's absence as keenly. But right now she was eager to get to her destination so, with a mental apology to her grandmother, she walked past the path that led to Adele's resting place and continued to the house.

With a smile lighting her face, Sookie reached the clearing where Bill's house stood wrapped in darkness. Just as she stepped out onto the grass, she was grabbed from behind and cried out. She found herself with her back crushed against the trunk of an oak tree, the face of her assailant just inches from hers.

"Damnit Bill!" She punched him in the arm. "Y'all about scared me to death! What the hell's wrong with you?"

His gaze as he looked at her in the dark was fixed and intense, and she shuddered. He said, "I was hunting."

"You always hunt half naked?"

"That depends on who I'm hunting." He bent close to smell her skin, then licked the sweat from her neck with a long, slow stroke from her collarbone to the angle of her jaw, savoring the taste and giving her goosebumps.

As he held her, Sookie admired his well-proportioned figure and the way the snug denim contrasted with his pale skin, and smiled. She took a deep breath and relaxed, wrapping her arms around him. "What am I going to do with you, Mr. Compton?"

"Anything you'd like, Miss Stackhouse."

Her smile expanded into a full grin. "Anything?"

Bill didn't answer, but Sookie saw his nostrils flare and he licked his fangs.

Sookie grabbed the waist of his jeans, pulling him toward her roughly and rubbing her palm against the bulge swelling beneath the denim. Mocking him, she licked her nonexistent fangs at him and growled, trying not to giggle. She unbuttoned his jeans and slipped a warm hand inside, fondling him and running her fingers through his hair, bringing him to readiness. She watched his face as she teased him, but this time he didn't join her lighthearted play. To her surprise, the intensity of his gaze deepened. He was in full hunting mode and it wasn't relenting. In spite of the absence of a blood bond, the vampire's mood communicated itself to her; she was mesmerized by the fire in his eyes and the danger written in his face.

Bill had stalked Sookie simply with the intention of surprising her, something not possible while they had been connected by the blood bond. But when he had spied her from the trees, he had been struck once again by her beauty as she strode through the night. She had crossed beneath him and walked away, and he was undone by her gracefulness and the sight of her well-muscled buttocks moving beneath the thin fabric of her clothing. Recreation had morphed into predation. She was his, and suddenly he had no other desire than to possess her, to feel the warmth of her flesh around his and relish her taste on his palate.

She buried her head in his shoulder, quaking and trying to control herself. Her playfulness had evaporated under the heat of his stare.

Their protracted absence from one another and the long, lonely nights ruminating on their former relationship had led to a better understanding of the characters of each. They had discovered depths in themselves and each other they had not known before their separation. Bill was overcome by just how much this woman really meant to him. She was more important to him than he could have imagined. His possessiveness now teetered dangerously close to rapacity, and God help the intruder – because an interloper would find no mercy from William Compton.

Trembling, Sookie was completely confused. She was in the midst of both terror and desire. She could no longer trivialize Bill's nature as a vampire. He may have regained his humanity, but she now understood that he truly was not human. For the first time, she was under no illusions about what he was – and it frightened her down to her bones. The changes in Bill had made him deadlier than any other of his kind, and she was never more cognizant of that fact than she was at this moment.

Perversely, the more frightened she felt, the more she needed the comfort of his cool arms around her.

_He scares me to death, but I can't live without him. Oh Lord, I've finally lost my mind..._

Sookie took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. In spite of the danger, she felt safe in Bill's arms. She concentrated on the physical; his touch, his odor, his cool skin, his hard muscles, his erection still pressed against her. Ignoring her uneasiness, she willed herself to stop shaking and lifted her face to his.

Bill watched as Sookie struggled. He could see that she was having difficulty, but without the connection of the blood bond, he had no idea what she was feeling. Meanwhile, he battled his own demons. He wanted her so much that he could barely control himself. He couldn't trust himself to speak. It was all he could do to remain still and wait for her.

She stared into his face, spellbound by the emotion she saw there. Although Bill referred to himself as a monster, she could not bring herself to label him as such. To her eye, he was a destroying angel; beautiful and terrifying at once. His skin was as smooth and pale as her grandmother's milk-glass vase. His thick hair was a brown so dark it was often mistaken for black. His strikingly blue eyes were filled with violence, destruction, and the deafening silence of the grave, but beneath that she could see his burning love for her. It was a paradox. A mystery. A fact to be accepted though never understood. But she had promised to join herself to him until the end of her days, so it was enough. It would have to be.

She took another deep breath, then rose up on her toes to reach his lips with hers, and Bill bent to meet her.

If asked later, Sookie would have sworn that there were actual sparks in that kiss.

She reached under her clothing to remove her panties, then lifted her skirt high enough for her bare flesh to touch his. Pushing against him, she spread her legs in a blatant invitation to her lover. He didn't hesitate. Bill placed one hand at the small of her back to hold her close while he slid the other between her thighs. He stroked her gently until her breathing began to change, becoming faster and deeper. He lifted her onto his phallus and, holding her braced with her back against the tree, entered her.

Sookie gasped as she received him, bending her neck to him in silent enticement to drink from her, and surrendered.

...

Sookie woke in the dark beneath the floorboards, sore all over. She couldn't move – not that she wanted to. Bill was asleep with his head pillowed on her breast, an arm around her mid section, one leg entangled with hers, and his heavy penis resting on her thigh. She took a slow breath, unwilling to disturb him. In spite of the bruises and the aches, she felt good. Bill had wanted to surprise her and, she had to admit, he certainly had. She'd never seen him in the midst of blood lust. She'd had her first glimpse of what happens to a vampire in the grip of the hunger, and it had scared her. But is also gave her a better idea of what Bill had to deal with on a daily basis since he had been turned.

_Bill said it was bad, but I just didn't imagine... it's a wonder he can control it at all. I sure couldn't._

Once she had put down her fear, the sight of her fiancé's face had made her eager to give herself to him; but Bill hadn't been entirely accommodating. He'd kept himself under tight rein, afraid of hurting her. A smile found her face in the darkness. They'd made love where he caught her at the edge of the lawn, and again beneath their old oak tree out back. Bill had controlled himself, loving her gently, his predatory fever notwithstanding.

She'd been frustrated to no end.

Infected by his mood, the last thing she had wanted was gentle lovemaking. She wanted Bill to completely dominate her. She had been hoping for a night of rough-and-tumble, no-holds-barred sex with him, and he just hadn't delivered. Despite her offer, he hadn't even fed, afraid of losing control and draining her.

So what was she to do? What she did, of course.

Though Bill had managed to moderate his behavior, his hunting instinct still had not abated by the time they walked into his old house. So, she turned to him with a smile, gave him a gentle kiss, then hauled off and hit him with a haymaker that almost broke her hand.

That did it.

Her blow completely broke his precarious self-control, and the result was exactly what she had hoped for. Her battered body, ruined clothing, and satisfied smile were proof.

A whisper dissolved the quiet. "Are you OK, Sweetheart? Did I hurt you?"

She ran her fingers lazily along his naked back. "Yes. To both."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

Propping himself up on an elbow, he said, "There are times I don't understand you at all. Why would you provoke me, Sookie? I could have killed you."

She sighed. "Yeah, I suppose you could have... but I needed it."

If she could have seen his face in the blackness, she would have seen his puzzled expression. "How do you mean?"

"I get so tired, Bill. I have to be in control all the time just to keep the noise out of my head. It's a full-time job keeping my guard up. It gets exhausting. Then there's Jason. You know how he is. I've had to be the grown-up since we were kids; always responsible, always reliable, always acting older than my age. Between the two, there are times I feel like I'm in a straightjacket and I'm so beat that I can't see straight. That first time you got rough in the cemetery, it was... how do I explain it... it was freeing. Somebody else was in control, so I didn't have to be. It surprised me. It was nice."

Bill kissed her gently on the forehead and stroked her cheek.

"So this time I just needed you to be in charge. But you were so damned considerate, which I like too... but that look in your eyes tonight just got to me. I mean, you've explained about being a predator, but I've never seen it in you before. At first I was scared, but then, I really liked it... and I wanted you, like that."

"You amaze me." He reached for her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her swollen and bruised knuckles. "You could have just told me. You didn't have to hurt your hand."

"If I'd asked, it would have been a kind of control. Kind of defeats the purpose. But I'll admit, I'll be glad when we have our blood bond back so you can tell what I'm feeling again. Y'all have a damned hard head."

"We should do it now, Sweetheart. You need the blood. You're pretty beat up."

"No. I'll wait. The soreness will be gone in a couple of days."

"How are you going to explain it?"

"I'll tell everybody I tripped up the stairs while carrying the laundry basket to the bedroom."

"_Up_ the stairs?"

"Broke a strap on my sandal and tripped on a step."

Deadpan, he said, "Really."

"Oh yes. You should have seen it. Bounced off the handrail and landed on my hand. Dropped the wash down the stairs and had to do it all again. I was madder than a wet hen."

He chuckled. "You are more devious than I imagined, Miss Stackhouse."

She reached for his face, pulling him into a kiss. "Yeah, I guess I am."

...

Liz paced the room. She'd picked up the phone half a dozen times, then put it down without making a call. She wanted to call Sam, but she couldn't yet. They'd had no special plans on their last date, but the afternoon had turned out completely unexpectedly.

"Damnit, Marine. Make _some_ kind of decision."

She picked up the phone and called information.

...

Brother Bede's sandals slapped rhythmically along the marble floor and he mumbled to himself as he walked. He passed the Swiss Guards without seeing them. They never stopped him. Each and every one of them, from the oberst* down to the newest gardist,** knew the monk on sight, and his appearance in the halls of the Vatican never failed to bring a smile to their lips. He was universally liked by the members of the 500-plus-year pontifical service, but most of them considered him to be somewhat absentminded and perpetually befuddled. A few of the men knew him well enough to be aware of the remarkable scope of his intelligence and his faith. Bede himself would have been surprised. His opinion of himself was in harmony with that of the majority – he felt befuddled and bewildered most of the time.

Like now.

He had no idea why the monsignor had asked for him. He'd been back in Rome less than a week, and the summons was as unwelcome as it was perplexing. He was too humble to believe himself indispensable, but he had to admit that the library was the worse for his absence. It would take him weeks to get things put to rights. True to his nature, he had assumed that the other members of the library staff were simply too important have their time frittered away with mere filing and sorting.

He approached the great double doors that led to the Congregation's complex of offices. The guard at the door smiled as he grasped the handle of the door.

"Welcome home, Brother."

"Oh! Ansgar, thank you... yes, yes. It's good to be home."

"Did you enjoy your trip to America?"

"Oh my, my, it was wonderful!" He bent toward the guard and whispered. "Tell, me, my friend. Do you have any idea why Monsignor Lavrentios wants to see me?"

"No, Brother. It was so sudden that even the rumors haven't caught up yet."

He nodded. "I see. I see. Well, then we shall both be surprised, shan't we?"

Ansgar nodded in return and pulled the door open for the monk.

...

Sam's brow was furrowed. He had things on his mind, and they showed on his face. He sat in his office playing with a pencil and not getting anything done. At least it was better in here. He wasn't making an idiot out of himself in front of his customers or his staff. He ran his hand through his hair again and sighed for the umpteenth time. Then he swore and threw the pencil, watching as it bounced across the blotter and off his desk, tumbling into a far corner and rolling underneath a chair. Scowling, he was about to fetch it when there was a knock on the door.

"Come on in."

"Sam?" Compton walked in and closed the door behind him. "Tara said you wanted to see me."

"Yeah. Yeah, I did. Have a seat, Bill."

"You OK?"

"Aw, hell no. My life just took a left turn and I'm waitin' to see if I end up on a good road or run into a wall."

"Want to talk about it?"

"No. I just have to wait it out. But I do need to talk to you about Sookie."

Surprised, Bill paused. "Sookie? What about her? She's not here, is she?"

"No, no she's not. Which is good. I was glad to hear from Josh that you two had a pool session planned for tonight. Makes it easier on me." He stood. "Hang on a sec, will ya?"

Sam left and returned a few minutes later with a warm bottle of blood and a mug of beer. He handed the blood to the vampire and sat, taking a long swallow from the cold mug.

"You don't usually drink when you're working."

"Nope. Not usually. But coffee just ain't doing it tonight."

Bill waited patiently while Sam drank his beer and fidgeted in his chair. Finally, Sam spoke. "Did you know Sookie's doing a job for Northman at Fangtasia?"

"I didn't. But I know he had planned to ask her. I understand he's willing to pay her well."

"Is that so? Well, it's this Friday night before the bar opens and she's going alone. And I don't like it one damned bit. I don't care how much she's making."

"She's an adult, Sam, and she can make her own decisions."

Sam slammed his mug on the desk, the beer splashing over the edge. "Look, Bill. I know you two aren't together anymore, but I can't believe you don't still care what happens to her. She needs somebody to look out for her, and you're the only one I know who can take on that son of a bitch. Can't you chaperone her?"

"Not if she doesn't want me to. You of all people know how hard it is to get her to do something she doesn't want to do. And like you said, we're not together anymore. I'm probably the last person she wants around, in any case."

"Damnit, Bill..."

Bill stood, and said, "Look, Sam, if you can convince her, I'm willing. I need to make a trip to Shreveport on Friday anyway, so it won't be any inconvenience. Let me know."

Looking up at the tall vampire, Sam responded. "Thanks, Bill. I appreciate it."

"Don't thank me yet. You still have to get her to agree."

...

Sookie ran down the stairs to the door and pulled it open. "Hey Liz." Y'all must've broken a speed limit or two on your way here."

"I think I did."

"Well, don't let Andy catch you. He likes writing tickets. Y'all want something to drink?"

"Oh God, yes. Please. Anything cold." Liz wandered into the living room and plopped into a chair, dropping her purse on the floor as Sookie came back in and handed her a lemonade.

"I appreciate you letting me bend your ear, Sookie. I didn't know who else to talk to."

"What's wrong?"

"Well, you'll think I'm nuts. I don't know where to begin, or even how to say it. It's Sam."

"Oh. He told you, huh?"

"What?"

"He said he wanted to tell you about being a shape shifter. I guess he finally did."

Liz hesitated. "Uh, yeah. You knew?"

"Yes."

"So, who else knows about this shifty thing?"

"Well, I do, and Tara. I'm not sure about Lafayette. Of course, Bill Compton knows, but that's because he's a vampire and they can always tell. I think that's about it. And you, now. So, if you count Lafayette, that makes four of us. You can't count Bill because of the vampire thing."

"So what am I going to do, Sookie?"

"I don't know. I guess that all depends on how you feel about Sam. Do you like him?"

"Oh, I more than like him. He's about the sweetest guy I've ever met. It's just this shifting business. What would you do?"

"Me? Oh Lord, I'm the wrong person to ask. I was dating a vampire. At least Sam's not dead."

Liz grinned. "Yeah, that's true."

"He can eat real food."

"Yes."

"And he won't burst into flames in the daylight."

"Well, yeah, there is that."

"And he sure fills out those jeans nice."

She burst into laughter. "Yes, he surely does."

"You know, Liz. He thinks the world of you. You're the only person he's ever told about himself voluntarily."

"Really?"

"Yeah. He wanted you to know before things got more serious. He doesn't want to keep any secrets from you."

"Wow. That's pretty big."

Thinking about herself and Bill, and what they had gone through, she said. "Yeah, it is."

"A guy like that is too good to let slip through your fingers. Compared to that, whether or not he's human is pretty insignificant."

Sookie nodded in agreement and drank her lemonade.

...

* Oberst – "Colonel." There is only one colonel of the Pontifical Swiss Guard, the commandant.

** Gardist – "Guardsman." Lowest ranking enlisted member of the Pontifical Swiss Guard.


	51. Chapter 51

Chapter 51

Sookie had refilled their glasses twice as they talked through the afternoon. Figuring out this relationship business made for thirsty work; hungry, too. She had asked Liz to stay for an early dinner and Liz had agreed on the condition that Sookie allowed her to help with the cooking. Together they made themselves busy in the kitchen. Sookie made a big salad of mixed greens with mushrooms, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Liz asked Sookie for a griddle, some flour, shortening and salt and made a stack of tortillas from scratch. Using some chicken Sookie had in the freezer, along with some onions and peppers, she made fajitas and the two of them sat down for a feast.

"Oh my Lord, Liz, you can really cook. This is so good... you should have met Brother Bede when he was still in town."

Liz sopped up some meat juice with a tortilla. "Don't get too excited. I can make about four things, and these are two of them."

"What are the other two?"

"Burnt toast and strong coffee."

"Y'all have to be kidding me."

"I wish I was. I'm not much of a cook. But while I was working an aid station in Afghanistan, there was another nurse there named Raul. He taught me to make tortillas. His family had a restaurant and he pretty much grew up in the kitchen. He was so amazing - the guy could make a meal out of anything. And his tortillas – if it could be ground into flour, he could make some kind of bread out of it, and it would taste wonderful. He was working with the locals at a clinic we had set up and got talking with a Pashtun man who had brought his children in. He was a baker in a local village. They got around to talking about food. Raul found out there was a tandoori oven in their village and managed to wrangle himself an invitation to watch the man make bread. I guess it was a lot like making tortillas, 'cept that they bake on the sides of the oven instead of the bottom." Liz stopped her narration to take a sip of lemonade. "Anyway, they got to swapping recipes, and he taught them how to make tortillas and quesadillas, and they taught him how to make naan and bolani."

"What're they?"

"Naan's a flat bread. They eat it with everything – they serve themselves from a common dish and use the naan instead of silverware. A bolani is a kind of turnover. He learned how to make the ones with a sweet potato filling. They were sure good. You have no idea what a morale booster food can be in a war zone."

"Maybe we should get Raul in touch with Brother Bede."

"No... Raul never made it back."

"Oh God, Liz... I'm sorry."

"Yeah, me too. He was coming back from the village with a bag full of fresh naan when he hit an IED. At least it was quick. I think about him every time I make tortillas."

They sat in silence for a few moments, finishing dinner and immersed in thought until Liz spoke.

"So, who is this Brother Bede I keep hearing about?"

Sookie smiled, glad the conversation had taken a happier turn. "He's a monk who works in the Vatican Library."

"I think Sam mentioned him while you were in the hospital. He said something about a monk, but he didn't mention his name. How the hell did a bartender from Bon Temps end up friends with a monk from the Vatican?"

"Oh Lord, that's a story. Bill was trying to find some way to break my blood bond and ended up at the Vatican Library to do some research. He contacted an archivist there, and it turned out to be Brother Bede."

Liz's expression was one of confusion. "I don't understand, Sookie. What's a blood bond?"

Sookie blushed. "Oh geeze... well, when a human has blood directly from a vampire, it creates a connection. The vampire can feel what the human is feeling, knows where they are, can always find them."

"And you had this?"

Her blush deepened. "Yeah, I did. Actually, I had two. One with Bill, which was OK, and the other I got tricked into. It's complicated."

"It sounds like it." She could see by Sookie's expression that it wasn't something she wanted to discuss, so she put aside her curiosity. "So, did this monk come up with the goods?"

"No, but he gave Bill some leads. Eventually, he found a way to break the bonds."

"I gather that was a good thing."

"It was. It turned out that that's what was making me so sick."

"You were in pretty bad shape when you got to the hospital."

"That's what everybody said. I don't remember much."

Liz was quiet for a moment. Then, "You know, Sam and I had a chance to talk in the hospital. He referred to a monk he'd just met and I made a joke about him having an eclectic collection of friends. He laughed it off and said I didn't know the half of it. I guess he was talking about himself."

"Yep, he probably was."

She rose from the table to take her plate to the sink, and she and Sookie fell into an easy rhythm as they cleaned up after supper, putting the leftovers in the fridge, one washing the dishes, the other drying, cleaning counters and the table. They refilled their lemonades and headed out to the porch where they made themselves comfortable on the glider and enjoyed the evening air.

"You know, Sookie, this is all a bit much for me. I never really believed in vampires, even after they came out, until I met Mr. Compton. They were just stories. Now Sam tells me he's a shape shifter. Even though he explained it to me, I can't quite grasp the reality of the idea. I feel like I've fallen down a rabbit hole, and I'm just waiting for the Red Queen to show up."

Sookie laughed. "According to Sam, that's exactly what Tara said the night she found out."

"You're joking."

"I'm not. There's even a queen."

"Oh, now I know you're pulling my leg..."

"Her name's Sophie-Ann and she's the vampire Queen of Louisiana." Sookie's laughter turned into giggles at Liz's expression. Finally, she said, "That hole getting any deeper for y'all?"

"It think it's bottomless." She shook her head. "What am I going to do about Sam, Sookie? I've never dealt with this supernatural stuff. I don't even know how to start. How do you handle it?"

"Well, I handle it by not handling it, I guess. Gran taught me that it wasn't important so much what a person was, as who a person was... you know, are they good people. And one thing I can tell you is that Sam's good people."

"How come you never snapped him up for yourself?"

"I might have, if Bill hadn't come along. We've been good friends for a long time, but he's my boss, and I didn't want to complicate things any more than they already were."

"I'm sorry to hear from Sam that you and Bill split up."

"Well, I'll survive. Gran always said that life has a way of working things out for itself and it doesn't pay any heed to what we want."

"Your Gran sounds like quite a woman. From what you've told me, she kind of reminds me of my seanmháthair.* She was from The Sod – Ireland – and she was full of legends about the Sidhe, leprechauns, Celtic heroes, selkies, the púca... she told the most wonderful bedtime stories. She died when I was young, but I remember them. I never imagined I'd run into them in real life."

Sookie was thoughtful. "What would she have said about Sam?"

Liz grinned as she looked up and met Sookie's eyes, and slipped into brogue that was as thick as peat as she imitated her grandmother. "Mamó would have said, 'Sure, he's a true son of Fliodhais, he is, and if you let him get away, Lizzie, I'll think you an amadán.' "

...

Bill rose from his rest and checked his messages. He smiled when he saw several from Sookie, but saved them for later. She would be working and he had time to listen to them before she was done for the night. There was also a text message from the jeweler he had contacted in Shreveport. The designer and owner confirmed their meeting with Bill at the business at 10 p.m. on Friday night.

He was pleased that they were willing to meet with him outside their normal hours to design a custom ring for Sookie. There would be few details to work out about the design itself – Bill had the image of that ring graven in his mind. He had imagined it on her hand for months, even before they had gone to Dallas. The difficulty would be finding the proper stones. He knew exactly what he wanted, but whether or not they would be available was another matter. He had chosen a store that had not only a certified gemologist on staff, but also two master jewelers. With their expertise, he hoped they would be able to get the necessary stones even if they didn't have them in stock. And considering what he wanted in that ring, it wasn't likely that any jeweler would have the gems on hand.

Bill was lost in thought. He had planned to propose to Sookie when they had returned from Dallas, but after the debacle there and Eric's assault on her, that had been out of the question. Then Sookie had become so very ill, and it had been delayed indefinitely. At that point, the vampire hadn't been thinking about wedding his human, just hoping she would survive. After Sookie had recovered, his plans were again thwarted when they had broken up because of his lies. He was unaware of the smile that lit his face when he thought of all that had happened since that trip to Texas. He had despaired of ever seeing her again, but she had returned and accepted his proposal. He finally was able to answer the question he had posed to himself on that miserable night alone before Sookie had returned.

_Yes. I would. Willingly. Had I known Sookie was waiting, I would gladly have given up my humanity to be with her._

It had taken him quite some effort to admit that, and he felt a bit disloyal to his wife and children for what he was feeling, but it was time he was honest with himself. Had Sookie been alive when Bill was, and had they met then, he would have stayed with his family. He would not have broken his vows, though keeping them might have broken him.

But that was before he had been murdered, and he was no longer sorry he had been turned.

Oh, he still hated himself for the things he had done while under Lorena's tutelage, but he could have born it better had he known he eventually would meet Sookie.

In a twisted way, he had two vampires to thank for his happiness – Lorena and Queen Sophie-Ann; the queen for sending him back to Bon Temps, and Lorena for turning him.

Bill's smile turned grim. He didn't know what they had been like in their human lives but, as vampires, he found them completely despicable. Lorena was cruel, but shallow. Her interests went no further than herself. She was selfish, thought only of her own pleasure, and was completely without empathy for any other creature, living or dead. She fancied herself in love with him, but Bill suspected that she was fixed on having him simply because he had rejected her. Being with her had finally become so unbearable he was willing to embrace the true death rather than stay with her one more night. Bill had been disgusted by her behavior to Sookie at Godric's nest, and his heart swelled with pride as he remembered how Sookie had stood up to her. But Lorena had been humiliated in that encounter, and he was well aware that it was only a matter of time before her humiliation turned to anger, and the focus of that anger would undoubtedly be Sookie.

As for Sophie-Ann, she was another matter entirely. Though without a single redeeming quality, the queen was certainly not shallow. On the contrary, her depravity had remarkable depths, as did her cruelty, avarice, and ambition. She had a reputation for taking risks that others would not. At the age of only 300 she was a queen. Bill had never heard of a king or queen who hadn't seen at least 500 years. The fact that she had risen to power so young spoke eloquently of her viciousness.

And that had him worried.

Sookie's illness had been a useful excuse to delay his delivery of her to the queen but, now that she was well again, Sophie-Ann would expect him to bring the human to her. Bill had stalled as much as he could without raising suspicion, but that was about to end. Sookie was his, and he had no intention of surrendering her to the queen.

Regardless, Sophie-Ann was not accustomed to being thwarted. She had the patience of a 2 year old and her tantrums were just as ugly. He still had no idea why the queen was so interested in Sookie and, until he could figure that out, he didn't know how to persuade her that this human was unworthy of her attention. He would have to think of some way to protect his fiancée, and soon.

He pushed the worry out of his mind, as he had on so many other occasions.

When he'd first arrived in Bon Temps, the thought of betraying his queen hadn't occurred to him. This was just another job, just another human to be procured for the queen's insatiable appetites. But then he met Sookie, and his treachery took root.

_It was that first kiss, in woods near this very house, on our first walk. _

Influenced by the blood bond, Sookie's forwardness overcame her natural shyness that night. She had kissed Bill as he had never been kissed before. She put her entire self into that kiss, and he'd been completely disarmed. It was then that he had begun to covet the human for himself. He'd been sent to seduce her, but after she had kissed him he'd been unable to rest. He was kept awake wondering if it was possible for her to love him. He didn't understand his sudden need to be loved by this human woman, but it was there nonetheless. He hadn't yet considered if it was possible for _him_ to love _her_. It had been so long, and he didn't know if he was capable of love any more.

How surprised he had been when he realized that he _did_ love her.

On the first night of their meeting, Bill had been ambushed by Sookie's attitude. He'd never met another human like her. He hated to admit it to himself, but her willingness to rescue him – a stranger, and a vampire at that – from the Rattrays had completely overwhelmed him. From what he had learned of her later, he realized that she had a remarkable sense of right and wrong and would defend either stranger or friend without thought for her own safety. In his precarious predicament, helpless and immobilized by silver, she nonetheless intrigued him when he had spied her crouching behind the greenery with a length of chain as her only weapon, prepared to rescue him. He had been taken aback by her confidence and how well she had handled herself.

And she still continued to surprise him.

Bill smiled to himself. She was stubborn, contentious, and had a knack for finding trouble. She was slow to anger but, when her temper did flare, it was as quick and violent as a storm wind. She was so _alive_; she threw herself headfirst into life. His existence was so much richer since he had met her. He would not give her up, even to his queen. He would find a way to protect her, whatever it took.

...

Sookie leaned on the bar during a lull in the dinner rush. All the diners had been served and nobody needed a waitress, so she had a chance to take a break while she watched the dining room and waited for somebody to need her. Tara was restocking the bar and doing cleanup.

"So, what'd you do on your day off yesterday?" asked Tara.

"Liz came by and we spent the day together, had an early dinner, and just kicked back. It was nice."

"Yeah? How's she doing?"

Sookie smiled. "Well, she's coping. Sam told her."

Tara stopped what she was doing and looked at her friend with an expression of surprise. "No shit? I didn't think he'd actually go through with it."

"Well, he did."

"Wow. He must be serious about her. How'd she take it?"

"Pretty well, considering."

"Y'all think Sam's gonna get hurt?"

"I don't know, Tara. She really likes Sam a lot, but she's never dealt with something like this before. It's a whole new way of looking at the world, and she's trying to figure it out."

"Well, that explains why he's been so grumpy the last day or so. He's been just horrible, but he got a little better after he talked to Bill."

"Bill was here?"

"Yeah. He and Josh were meeting up to play some pool, but Sam asked me to keep an eye out for him and send him back to the office as soon as he came in. Afterward Sam was almost tolerable. I hope Liz doesn't dump him. I don't think I could take it if Sam got much worse than he was last night."

"Sounds awful."

"It was. He pretty much hid out in his office so he wouldn't scare away the customers. He didn't come out until a bit before closing."

Sookie leaned her elbow on the bar with her chin in her hand, looking over the dining room. Nobody needed her yet, and it appeared that it was going to be slow for the rest of the night. She was thinking about Bill and trying not to let her expression give her away when her reverie was interrupted.

"Sook, are y'all still determined to do that job for that damned vampire on Friday?"

"For Eric? Yeah, why?"

"I wish you'd reconsider. He scares the hell out of me and, after what he did to you, I just don't trust him. Neither does Sam."

"I'll be fine. It won't take long and I could use the money. I really don't have a thing put aside for emergencies, and there are some things I need." Sookie quashed a grin. Eric was going to be furious when he eventually found out what she was spending his money on, and that alone was worth doing the job. She was looking forward to irritating the hell out of him.

"Do you have to go alone? I'd sure feel better if somebody went with you."

Sookie snorted in derision. "Like who, Tara?" She looked up as Sam came from the walk-in carrying a case of beer for the cooler.

"Well, I still don't trust him. Y'all need protection, Sook."

Sam hefted the case of liquor onto the bar. "She's right, Sookie. You need somebody to watch your back."

"He's the oldest vampire around here. He's more than a thousand years old. Who on earth could protect me from that?"

Sam put his hand on his hip as he leaned on the bar. "Bill could."

"Sam..."

Tara interrupted. "Yeah, Bill could. He's done it before."

"Oh geeze, I wish all y'all would just quit already. I was taking care of myself long before Bill Compton came to Bon Temps."

"Yeah, but you weren't dealing with vampires then," said Sam. "I don't have so many friends that I can afford to lose one. Besides, you're my best waitress."

"You guys are sure making this awkward."

Sam leaned on the bar and lowered his voice so they couldn't be overheard by the diners. "Look. I know this is awkward. But we're worried about you. I already talked to Bill. He has to go into Shreveport on Friday anyway, and he said it wouldn't be any trouble at all."

"I don't like people making plans for me behind my back, Sam."

"I know you don't. But you mean a lot to us, and under the circumstances I didn't think you'd want to ask him yourself. You don't even have to talk to him if you don't want to. And you don't have to ride with him, either. He can meet you at Fangtasia and then you two can part ways when you're done."

"All y'all are going to pester me until I agree, aren't you?"

Tara winked ad her and smiled. "Oh Jesus, yeah. And you know I can be a pest from hell when I want to be."

Sookie looked from Tara to Sam, trying to decide how much resistance to exhibit to be convincing. She and Bill had already decided to meet at Fangtasia. She had no intention of being around Eric without him, but she had to keep up the act if she wanted to continue to enjoy the unaccustomed privacy their secret engagement provided. She took a deep breath and let out a sigh. "Well, all right. The sooner I give in, the sooner you and Sam will leave me in peace. I just want to get this over with as little drama as possible."

Sam smiled. "Thank you, Sookie. I'll let Bill know, if that's OK with you."

She nodded.

Tara was about to comment on Sookie's acquiescence when the door to the bar opened and distracted the three. They looked toward the entrance as a man come in. He was of medium height, thin, but not unpleasantly so. He had straight, light brown hair streaked with sun-bleached strands from spending time outdoors. On the long side, it hung over his forehead and he brushed it from his face in a practiced motion. Amber-brown eyes were set under a smooth brow. He had fair skin, neither ruddy nor sallow; he was one of those fortunate few of light complexion who could tan easily under the rays of the sun without burning. Dressed casually, he carried a black leather satchel in one hand as he approached the trio at the bar.

Sam greeted him. "Hey Dr. Ludwig. I haven't seen you in a while. What brings you to these parts?"

Joey returned his smile and dropped his medical bag on top of the bar. "I had to check on a patient nearby, so I thought I would save Sookie the trouble of driving all the way to Margaret's place for her checkup. I hope that's OK."

"That's fine. We're slow right now, anyway. Why don't you two go ahead and use my office?"

Sookie interjected. "Come on, Joey. I'll show you the way."

As they walked back to Sam's office, she was distracted by his unexpected arrival and her guard dropped, allowing his thoughts to intrude. _...she has the most amazing eyes..._ Sookie quickly refocused her attention to keep from eavesdropping.

...

Brother Bede sat in the chapel, praying his rosary and trying to calm himself. His life had changed dramatically and without warning, and he was endeavoring to accept it with grace and thanksgiving, remembering his vow of obedience. He didn't notice, but a sigh escaped him as he finished his prayer and kissed the crucifix. He put the simple black beads back in the small, well-worn leather case, and dropped it into a pocket beneath his habit as he stood from the pew.

Ansgar had been right. The Vatican City grapevine hadn't even picked up the rumor yet, so the subject of his discussion with Msgr. Lavrentios had come as a complete surprise.

He had been relieved of his position at the library.

...

Sookie sat in Sam's desk chair as Dr. Ludwig opened his bag and removed a stethoscope. Giving her a short exam, he asked, "How have you been feeling, Sookie?"

"Great. Fine. I feel like I was never sick."

"Your last couple of checkups were good, so as far as I'm concerned, you can consider yourself discharged from Margaret's care."

Smiling, she said, "I'm _so_ glad this is all over. It's nice to feel like my old self again. I wish I could think of a proper way to thank you and Dr. Ludwig, but it all seems so... inadequate."

"Well, I'll tell Margaret you said thanks, but she'll just grumble. She doesn't have much time for the social graces...none at all, in fact."

"She's something else. I really don't know how to describe her. I've never met anybody like her before."

"Let's see, you could try tactless, grumpy, foul-tempered, impatient... "

"Wait a minute – isn't she family? I thought you liked her."

Joey chuckled. "Oh, she's wonderful. I love her to death. Almost as much as my brother Matt did. But since he died, well, she's kind of like an empty bowl of soup... nothing left at the bottom but the pepper."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah. You wouldn't have known her back then."

"You sound like you miss him a lot."

"He was my only sibling, so yeah, I miss him. But mostly I miss watching Matt and Maggie – what a pair. They were so great together. I envied them that. I'd like a relationship like theirs was someday."

"You know, she's not seeing anybody. You could ask her out."

Joey looked up from his bag. "Excuse me?"

"Tara. You can ask her out."

"How did you...?"

"Sorry. I kind of slipped a bit and caught you thinking about her. I didn't mean it."

He looked embarrassed.

"She reminds you of your sister-in-law, huh?"

'Well, uh, yeah. She has that same kind of personality. I always get a kick out of it with Margaret."

"Uh huh. Peppery."

Joey grinned. "Yeah."

...

*Seanmháthair – Grandmother (pronounced as _shan-waw-hir_)

Mamó – Grandma

Sidhe – The "shining ones," the fairy folk of Ireland. (_shee_).

Fliodhais – Shape-shifting goddess of the Irish forests, woodlands, and wild things; ruler of wild beasts (_FLYU-ish)_

Amadán – The Fool, jester at the court of the Sidhe (_AM-ah-don_).


	52. Chapter 52

Chapter 52

Having finished his examination of Sookie, Joey sat down, rubbing his hands together and looking at the floor. Sookie watched, waiting, doing her best not to give in to the temptation to listen in on his thoughts. After a short pause, he looked up and said, "Sookie, may I ask a favor of you?"

She grinned. _I bet he wants me to put in a good word for him with Tara..._ "Sure," she replied.

"Would it be OK with you if I continued to do research on your blood? Just for myself, mind you, and maybe share my findings with Margaret so we can toss some ideas back and forth. It wouldn't be for publication or anything."

Sookie was surprised. "My blood? Really? I sure didn't think that's what you were going to ask me."

The healer's eyebrows went up in a puzzled expression. "No? What did you think I was going to ask?"

"I thought you were going to ask me to get Tara to go out with you."

Joey laughed. "Oh, I think I can handle that myself. I've been dealing with Margaret for years, after all, so I think I can cope with Ms. Thornton."

"Well, if you change your mind, let me know. She can be a handful." She looked at him, thinking to herself for a moment. "Why do you want to keep studying my blood?"

"It's fascinating. I've never seen blood like yours. It seems to be perfectly normal, human blood, but it doesn't react like anything I've ever seen. Frankly, it's keeping me up at night trying to figure it out."

"What would I have to do?"

"Nothing, really. Just give me permission to continue and supply a sample occasionally."

"Uh huh... would it tell you why I reacted to vampire blood the way I did? Why I got so sick?"

"I have no idea. As I said, I've never seen anything like it, so I don't know what I'll find. Of course, that's assuming I discover anything at all."

Sookie stood. "Well, OK. But I want to know whatever you find out."

"Of course. I wouldn't dream of doing otherwise."

"Do you need to take more blood?"

Not right now. I still have that last sample. But thank you, Sookie. I appreciate your willingness to play lab rat for me." He closed his bag and prepared to leave the office. "Maybe I'll be able to get some sleep."

"I don't know about that, especially if y'all're planning to take up with Tara."

...

Brother Bede approached the main entrance to the university. Looking up at the apricot-colored walls, he read the word over the facade to himself. _Angelicum. _It's actual name, in Latin, was the Pontificia Studiorum Universitas a Sancto Thoma Aquinate in Urbe, but nobody in Rome referred to it by that name except in official writings. It was either called PUST* or, more affectionately, the Angelicum.

He stood at the foot of the stairs and took a moment to let the ambiance wash over him. The roots of the pontifical university reached back to 1222, to the _studium _at the convent of Santa Sabina. It was while teaching at the Angelicum that Thomas began his work on the Summa Theologica. The monk felt humbled when he thought of the great minds that had worked and studied here over the centuries.

He knew why he was here, but not _why._ Per the instructions of Msgr. Lavrentios, effective immediately, he would no longer serve as an archivist to the Vatican Library. He was to report to the Angelicum to meet with a theologian from his order regarding his new duties. Taking a deep breath, he gathered his courage about him and climbed the steps.

...

Fr. Desmaris sat at his desk trying to get caught up. He had a pile of theses in his in-basket, and as he went through them he made notes for each student on his laptop. Maybe one day he would get around to working directly from disks or electronically transmitted files, but for now he preferred each doctoral candidate print out a draft of his or her thesis. His position required he spend hours reading both in his office and at home, and he found it easier to do part of it in the old recliner in the community's recreation room than at a desk, where he tended to get stiff and sore after hours of work. A laptop was too awkward to use in a recliner, but he had thought one of those tablet computers might work. It was a moot point now but, until he started his new duties, he still had theses to evaluate and he used the dreaded red pencil to annotate each candidate's work. Later he would create a list of questions and comments for each student on the computer.

He wasn't looking forward to his new assignment. He'd been guiding young men and women in their doctoral studies for years, and he felt like he was abandoning them in the midst of their work. _Damned trouble maker._ He sighed. _One more sin for confession, Lord. Forgive my lack of charity. _

He knew most of the people who would be on the committee, at least by reputation. The one exception was the man he was to meet today. He hadn't heard of him at all until he was briefed by Msgr. Lavrentios.

A knock sounded on the door of his office and, without looking up, he hollered, "Enter!" He hadn't intended to yell, but he was rather short tempered at the moment and his back ached. Only when the man approached his desk did he look up.

_Oh Lord, please tell me this isn't the guy... he looks like an idiot..._

Brother Bede stood before the desk. The priest looked at him in silence for a moment, then addressed him.

"So. You're Brother Bede. Shove the papers off that chair and have a seat. I'll be right with you."

Bede removed a stack of papers from a wooden chair and set it carefully on the floor. He sat down and quietly looked around the cramped office while he waited.

The office looked liked the aftermath of some natural calamity. Apparently, it's occupant was well aware of it. Propped precariously on the top of a very tall bookcase was a small sign, "Act of God in Progress." Bede couldn't help but smile to himself at the double meaning. Books were jammed into every shelf with more stacked on top of them to make use of every bit of available space. Some held rows of books two volumes deep and, in spite of the sturdiness of the bookcases, some of the wooden shelves sagged under their burden. Piles of papers and notebooks covered every free surface, and some piles were stacked upon others and looked ready to collapse into a heap at any moment.

Even the priest's desk was a study in disaster. Multiple in-baskets were lined up along the far side, each piled with work in progress. Anyone sitting in front of the desk would be hard pressed to see the man at work there unless they sat up very, very straight and were tall enough to begin with. If you wanted to see the man's face, you had to sit to one side as Bede was doing now.

But despite the clutter and the chaos, there was a sense of purpose in the office. It was remarkable for its lack of dust, even on the top of the bookcases and along the window sill, and Bede was sure that nothing in this office was left unattended for long.

With a loud exhalation, the priest took the stack of papers he had been working on from the desk and dropped them into an out-basket. He turned off the computer, closed the lid, then stood up and stretched, popping noises from his bones punctuating his movements. Bede rose with him.

"I'm Fr. Fred Desmaris, Brother. Come take a walk with me. I need a smoke."

...

The bar was closed and most of the crew was finished with their prep for the next day. One by one they began to leave for home. Sookie was just wiping down her last table when the door opened and she looked up."Jason!"

"Hey Sis." Jason dropped his backpack and duffle bag on the floor and gave his sister a hug as she ran to greet him. Tara and Sam joined them from behind the bar where they had been cleaning.

"Jason! Welcome back buddy." Said Sam as he greeted him. He put a hand on his shoulder. "Man, you look like you need a beer."

"That sounds wonderful, Sam, thanks."

Tara took her turn with a welcoming hug after Sookie had turned him loose.

Sookie said, "Oh my Lord, I didn't even know you were coming! Why didn't you call me?"

"Things were winding down and I wasn't sure when I would be leaving. When they finally said they didn't need me no more, I just wanted to get home."

"Are Hoyt and Jessica back too?" asked Tara.

"No, they still have Hoyt working dispatch so he's gonna hang on for a while, and Jess won't leave until he does."

Sookie made a face. "God, you're sure stinky."

"Oh. Sorry. It was a long trip. There weren't any more flights to Shreveport 'til tomorrow, and I didn't want to wait, so I just grabbed everything and took the first plane to Louisiana. That got me to New Orleans, and I took a bus back home from there. It took forever." Jason lifted his arm and took a sniff. "I could use a shower. Can I crash at your place tonight, Sook? I won't be able to get the power and stuff back on at my house until tomorrow. "

"Sure." She walked him to a table with one arm around him as Sam arrived with a cold bottle of beer. "Just let me finish up and get my stuff and we can leave."

Sookie went to the back office to get her purse. _Oh geeze, it's good to see Jason, but I wanted to spend the night with Bill. Damn._ Taking off her apron, she closed the door behind her and grabbed her cell phone, texting a message to Bill to let him know that Jason was back and staying at her place, and that she wouldn't be able to meet him. Finished, she dropped the phone into her purse, picked it up, and walked out.

...

Tara, Sam, and Jason shared a booth as Jason took a long swallow from his bottle of beer and waited for his sister. "Man, that sure tastes good."

"It's good to have you back, Jason." Tara leaned her chin in her hand.

"It's good to be home. I never thought I'd miss Bon Temps, but California... that place is just weird." Jason leaned forward and whispered. "Hey Sam, the truth – how's Sookie doing? Is she really OK now? I was worried sick."

Sam responded. "Yeah, she's good. The treatment worked. In fact, Dr. Ludwig was here earlier tonight to check on her and he said she's perfectly healthy." Lowering his voice, he said, "But Jason, you need to know that Sookie and Bill broke up a few months back."

"What? What the hell happened?"

"We don't know. Sookie won't say, but it must've been big. She was really upset."

Tara interrupted. "Yeah, Jason. So don't you go badgering her or nothin'. She had a real hard time, and she doesn't want to talk about it. She's just now getting back to her old self."

They looked up as Sookie came out from the back. "Jason, y'all ready to go or do you want to finish your beer first?"

"I'm too tired to even think, Sook. I just want a shower and some sleep." Leaving the unfinished beer on the table, he wearily slid out from the booth and grabbed his things, said goodbye to Sam and Tara, and walked with Sookie out the door.

...

The monk and the priest walked through the halls of the Angelicum to the back of the building and out to the parking lot that served the lay members of the faculty. Leaning against a wall, Fr. Desmaris pulled a pack of cigarettes from his shirt pocket. Removing one, he replaced the pack, took a lighter from his trousers and lit up, protecting the flame from the breeze with his hand. He took a deep drag, held it, and then exhaled, taking a moment to look over the ancient city. Slipping the lighter back into his pocket, he turned to address his companion.

"Forgive me, Brother." He looked down at the cigarette as he flicked the ash to the pavement. "It's a filthy habit I picked up when I was too young and stupid to know better, but I haven't mustered the fortitude to quit." He paused. "So, do you know why you're here?"

"Oh my, my, Father, I really have no idea." He stood with his hands folded in the sleeves of his habit. "No, no, none at all. The monsignor told me only that I was relieved of my current duties within the archives and to report to you."

"You are here, Brother Bede, because you're hell's own troublemaker."

"I'm sorry... what?"

"You not only got yourself kicked out of your job at the archives, you got half a dozen of us reassigned, as well. Including me."

"I don't understand, Fr. Desmaris."

"Call me Fred... or Fr. Fred, if you insist on being formal. I suspect we will be working together a long time." Bede nodded but remained silent, waiting for the priest to continue. After another drag on his smoldering cigarette, he did. "You asked about the possibility of presiding at a wedding."

"Yes, yes I did. Is that what this is about?"

"It is. Your request worked its way through the hierarchy all the way to the top. Mostly because nobody knew what to do about it."

"Oh my, my, my... My friend asked me for help. They are not Catholic, but they both are baptized. They want to be married before God, and no church will do it. In fact, it's only legal in one state, so they will have to travel for a civil ceremony first. I had no idea my request would cause problems for anyone else."

"Well, your friend is a vampire, and that complicates things."

"But the church has been studying the question of vampires for years."

"Yes, and no official conclusions have ever been reached. His Holiness has decided that it's time to get on with it. So, on orders from the Pope himself, the curia now has a new congregation to figure it all out. And we're it."

...

_Jason really was as tired as he said, _Sookie thought. He had slept in the car all the way back to her place and never did take that shower he wanted. She had helped him carry his things to Gran's bedroom and he had barely gotten his shoes off before he fell asleep on the bed in his clothes. Sookie got the afghan from the sofa in the living room and spread it over him, then turned out the light and closed the door.

Since Jason wasn't up to showering, she took the opportunity to claim the hot water for herself and washed away the day's grime. Afterward, she sat on her bed in the dark, wrapped in a towel and working a comb through the snarls in her freshly-shampooed hair. She was enjoying the droning music of the crickets and the feel of the warm breeze through the open window.

Sookie nearly jumped out of her skin when cool fingers brushed her shoulders. Leaping from the bed, she turned with a gasp and saw Bill standing in the darkness of her room.

"Bill," she whispered. "Y'all scared me half to death! What are you doing here? How'd you get in? Jason's back. He's downstairs in Gran's room..."

Quietly he walked around the bed and reached for her, lifting her damp hair to his face and inhaling. "Did you really think I could stay away? Especially with the breeze carrying your smell through the night?" He kissed her forehead and then worked his way down her cheek to her lips, placing soft kisses on her face and running his fingers lightly over the bare skin of her back.

"Oh geeze..."

...

_Poor bastard. He really does look like a deer in the headlights. _Fr. Fred addressed the monk. "Are you OK, Brother?"

Brother Bede was in shock, and it took him a moment to find his words. "No, no I'm not... Jesus, Mary, and Joseph... There has to be some mistake, Father. I'm useless... I'm not a scholar or a theologian. I'm a glorified file clerk. Why am I assigned to this new congregation?"

The priest shook his head as he ground out the butt of his spent cigarette with the toe of his shoe. "Bede, I have to admit. There's nothing false about your modesty. You really do think you're just a flunky who files things..." He looked Bede in the eyes. "You're here because His Holiness wants you here. Specifically."

"I... I... I'm sorry?"

"He asked for you by name. He wants you in the new congregation." He snorted. "It doesn't even have a name yet. The working title is the Congregation for Sentiency or some such rot – at least until we come up with a better name. Our job will be to try to figure out the status of non-humans in relation to salvation." He rolled his eyes. "You know, all those trivial questions that nobody has been able to answer in 2000 years..."

"But why me? What possible use could I be?"

"Well, on the practical side, you do know the library better than anybody. We're going to need that. You could be a big help with the research. Plus, you're the only member of the congregation who actually knows a vampire. Your insight will be valuable. Most of us have never even met one, at least not since they were ousted from the church by the Inquisition."

"What?"

"Vampires infiltrated the church hierarchy for years. That's why Innocent III started the Inquisitions back in 1480. It was a tool to root them out. By the 1600s there wasn't a religious community in Europe that didn't have at least one vampire in it. It was because they were not ordained, you see. He couldn't tolerate the defilement of the mass or the sacraments by imposters posing as priests... not to mention using their position in the church to gain access to the faithful."

Bede stood with his mouth agape. "_That_ was the reason for the Inquisition?"

Fr. Fred nodded and turned to open the door into the Angelicum for the monk. As they walked back into its quiet halls, he said. "It took centuries, they were so firmly entrenched. The Inquisition in Spain wasn't officially disbanded until the 1800s." He paused. "Remind me to tell you about the Crusades sometime..."

...

Tara pulled the car in front of her house. As she turned off the engine, her cell phone rang. She mumbled under her breath. "Who the hell is calling me at this hour?" She dug through her purse for her phone and answered. "Hello? Who the hell is this and why are you calling me at oh-dark-thirty in the morning?"

"Ms. Thornton?"

"Yeah? Who's this?"

"It's Joseph Ludwig."

Tara's stomach dropped and her mouth suddenly went dry. "Oh God... what happened? Is Sookie all right? Is there something you didn't tell us?"

"No, no, Ms. Stackhouse is fine. I'm not calling about her. And I'm sorry to call so late. I didn't want to interrupt you at work."

Tara took a moment to take a deep breath and for her heart to stop pounding. "Why are you calling?"

"Ms. Thornton, I was hoping you would go out with me sometime."

" 'Scuse me?"

"I'm asking you out."

"Like on a date?"

"Yes. Exactly. I'm asking you out for a date."

"You called me at this hour in the morning to ask me for a damned _date_? Are you out of your fuckin' mind?"

"No, I'm not. And I told you, I didn't want to bother you at work. So, will you go out with me?"

"Why do you want to go out with me?"

"Come with me and find out."

"You are a complete idiot."

"So Margaret tells me."

Tara was silent.

"Ms. Thornton? Are you there?"

"Yeah, I'm here."

"And?"

"And I must be out of my goddamned mind."

"Does that mean yes?"

"Shit. Yeah. Yeah, I guess it does."

"So, what is a good day for you?"

"Uh... Monday. Yeah. Monday."

"Wonderful. I'll pick you up at 5 and we'll have an early dinner. Wear your dancing shoes."

"Uh huh."

"I'll see you then. Goodnight, Ms. Thornton."

"Yeah. You too."

Tara closed her phone and sat in her car, then began talking to herself aloud. "A date. What the hell is wrong with you, Tara Mae? Are you out of your mind saying yes to that man?" She got out of the car, mumbling under her breath. "He's so damned _white._"

...

Bill slid his hands down Sookie's back and pulled the towel from her. In a low voice, she said, "Bill, we'll wake Jason. I don't want anybody to know about us yet."

He continued to kiss her softly, and whispered. 'Then you'll just have to control yourself, Ms. Stackhouse." He pulled away and grinned at her in the dark. "You do tend to be a bit loud."

She blushed, a reaction only he could see. "Well, it's your fault. Some of the stuff you do to me... I can't help it."

She watched as the dead man began to undress, then helped him remove his clothing. Bill picked her up and gently placed her on the bed, then lay down next to her, leaning on one elbow. He stroked her skin.

"Sookie, I wish you could be me for just a moment," he murmured. "You have no idea what you do to me – even without a blood connection."

She reached up to touch his face, then pulled him closer so their lips almost touched. "Me too." She gave him a soft kiss. "You surprise me all the time. I love not being able to hear you. I love when you hold me and tell me about your life."

"It wasn't much of a life before I met you, Sweetheart. There's nothing interesting in it at all."

Snuggling closer, she said, "But it was _your_ life, Bill. And I love hearing about it. You've done so many things, and been so many places... I've never been anywhere or done anything. Dallas was my first real trip away from Bon Temps. I just can't imagine it."

Bill smiled, and she could just barely make out his face in the dark. "Well, Ms. Stackhouse, we have a honeymoon coming up. Where would you like to go?"

"Go? I never even thought about it. Can I have some time?"

"Of course. We will have plenty of time to talk it over. I may even have a few suggestions."

"Oh that's good, 'cause I really don't know anything about anywhere." She was quiet for a moment as she enjoyed the hypnotic movement of Bill's fingers over her skin. She was entirely relaxed. "You said you don't care where we live."

"No, I don't. As long as I'm with you, I don't care where we are. Have you decided where you want to live, Sweetheart?"

"Yeah. I have." She sat up, and Bill rose with her. Sitting cross-legged facing him, she took his hands in hers. "I want to stay here, Bill, in Bon Temps. It's home, and my family's been here for years. Yours too. They're all laid to rest here. Living someplace else would be like... like not having an anchor, you know? No roots, no solid place to put your feet."

"I understand."

"But I don't want to give up Gran's house. It's a part of my heritage, and I want to keep it in the family. So, I was thinking... could we maybe rent it or something?"

"Of course. But if we won't be living here, where would you like to live?"

"In your house, Bill. With you."

"Sookie, my place is a wreck. There's so much work still to be done."

"I know. I want to help you fix it up. I want us to make it ours."

"Wouldn't you like a more comfortable place? It will take months, if not years, to get that house in liveable condition. It's fine for a vampire... I'm dead. But it's no fit place for you."

Sookie was silent. Still keeping her voice low so not to wake her brother downstairs, she said, "I have too many memories of that place to give it up. You made love to me for the first time in that house. You took care of me when I was sick in that house. That huge tub and the hours we've spent in there... you want to leave that? And our tree out back? I'm damned fond of that tree, Bill."

Bill had to stop himself from laughing aloud. Smiling, he kissed her and said, "I've grown rather partial to that tree myself. All right. My place it is." He paused. "You know, Sweetheart, it will be kind of cramped with Jessica there after the wedding. How about we let her and Hoyt live here, at your place?"

"That's a wonderful idea. But your place is huge... how could it possibly be cramped?"

"Well, I have plans to make love to you in every corner of that house, and I don't want you to feel inhibited in any way..."

Blushing, she said, "Oh. I didn't think of that."

With Sookie's hands still holding his, he gently pulled her to him and gave hear long, lingering kiss. He released her just enough to trace the contours of her lips with his tongue, then ran it over her teeth. Sookie open her lips to encourage him, enjoying the taste of him. She gently ran her tongue over his teeth in turn, careful not to trigger his fangs. She got so excited by his fangs and the taste of the venom he produced that she had difficulty controlling herself, and she didn't want to wake her brother.

Kissing her lover here in her childhood bedroom, trying not to make any noise so they wouldn't get caught, was a different kind of eroticism and she discovered that she enjoyed it. She became more and more aroused as she tried to remain silent.

Bill also was succumbing to the heavily erotic atmosphere. He hadn't been concerned about being discovered in a sexual situation since being turned. Vampires were notoriously promiscuous – it was part of their nature. The secrecy of their engagement made every act somehow feel forbidden and exciting.

"Sookie."

She shivered as he spoke her name with a quiet rumble. She opened her arms, and he welcomed her into his embrace. He lifted her atop his lap and pushed his rigid phallus into her, his movements slow and gentle, and she gasped. Bill covered her mouth with his own, kissing her into silence as they made love gently in the darkness.

...

*Pontifical University of St. Thomas


	53. Chapter 53

Chapter 53

Sookie was sitting at the kitchen table reading the local paper and finishing her coffee when her brother joined her. "Hey, Jason."

Running his fingers through his hair, still damp from showering, Jason leaned over and kissed his sister on the cheek. "Hey Sis."

"I left some breakfast for you on the stove. Did you sleep OK?"

"Oh man, yeah, I did." He grabbed a plate from the cupboard and helped himself to scrambled eggs, sausage, and fried potatoes before sitting with her. "It is so good to be home. I don't know how those folks can live out there. You never know when the damned ground's gonna' start movin'." He dug into his breakfast, continuing his conversation around a mouthful of food. He shook his head. "You know, Sookie, they have so many earthquakes they have to keep track of 'em all on a map.* One of the guys showed it to me on the computer. It shows everything for a week back." He pointed his fork at her. "There were hundreds of 'em on that map." He went back to eating. "I ain't never been so glad to be home in all my life."

Grinning at her brother, she said, "Couldn't have been that bad. I didn't hear about any earthquakes on the news."

"Well, I only felt that one, but still, just knowin' there're so many... I ain't used to that. It kind of sticks in the back of your mind all the time."

"Everybody has something. We get hurricanes and tornadoes sometimes."

"Yeah, we do. But at least we get some kind'o warning, a cloud or somethin'. Those things, they just come out of nowhere, and you never know when they're coming, how big they'll be, or where they're gonna' hit. A fella can't hardly relax."

Sookie smiled at her brother's ramblings. She'd missed him and was glad to have him back home. "So, what're y'all doing today Jason? You think they'll give you your old job back on the road crew?"

He shook his head and swallowed before answering. "I doubt it. But I got enough money from working on the fire lines to last for a while."

"What are you going to do?"

"You know, Sis, I really liked that job. It was kinda nice."

"Doesn't sound nice to me. Sounds dirty and dangerous."

"Uh huh... but California ain't all LA or San Francisco, 'specially up toward the north. There are lots of little towns in the hills where we were working, and it's different. It felt good to save somebody's house or their animals and stuff. They were so thankful. It was a hell of a lot better than patching potholes. I felt like I was really doin' something that mattered, y'know?"

"You liked that part."

"Yep. I did. I kinda think I want to do somethin' like that, something where I can help folks."

"There're lots of ways you can do that."

"I'm gonna drive out to Monroe later today. They got a fire academy there, and I can talk to them find out what it takes to get in."

"You want to be a firefighter?"

"Maybe. It's a place to start looking, anyway."

"Let me know what you find out."

"I will. But we gotta catch up, Sis. You gonna be home tonight?

"No, I have to work, and tomorrow I have a bunch of errands to run in Shreveport and I won't be back until late. But we can spend the whole day together on Saturday."

"OK. That sounds good. Maybe I'll dust off the grill and we can throw on a couple of steaks or something? Just me and you?"

His sister nodded. "That sounds good, Jace."

After wolfing down his breakfast, Jason wiped his mouth on a napkin and stood. "My truck's still parked out back, ain't it?" Sookie nodded and pointed to his keys hanging near the back door. "I gotta get home and get things squared away before I go out to Monroe, so I gotta run." He leaned over and kissed her on top of the head. "Catch you later?"

"OK." She watched as he hurried to the bedroom to grab his things, then rushed out the door. She returned to her paper, only half hearing Jason tear around the house in his truck and down the drive, scattering the gravel with his tires. She was reading an editorial on the VRA when she heard Tara holler at the door.

"Sookie? You home?"

"Yeah, Tara. Come on in. Did you see Jason? He just left."

"No. But he did nearly run me off the road, if that counts."

"I almost forgot what a bad driver he is."

"It's not that he's bad, it's just that he's always in such a damned hurry. Ain't like he has anywhere important to go." Looking at the dirty dishes left on the table, she picked them up and put them in the sink before pouring herself a cup of coffee and sitting. "I see he still can't clean up after himself. "

"Nope. He's still the same old Jason." She gave Tara a pointed look. "I missed him, too."

Tara sipped from the steaming cup. "I got a call after work last night."

"Yeah?"

"Don't y'all want to know who it was?"

"I know you want to tell me." _Oh Lord, he did call her..._

"It was your doctor."

"Dr. Ludwig?"

"Yep. Asked me out for dinner."

"Huh. I didn't know she was gay. She's a little old for you, isn't she?"

"Not _that_ Dr. Ludwig... the other one." She stopped short as she saw Sookie's wide grin.

"Oh hell, you knew who I was talking about."

"Yeah, I did."

She narrowed her eyes. "You knew he was gonna ask me, didn't you?"

"Um hmm. He talked about you yesterday when he was checking me over. He likes you."

"You been playing matchmaker?"

"Me? Oh Lord, no... but I think he's been interested in you for while."

"He's probably one of those strange white guys who has a thing for black women."

"No. Crabby ones."

"What?"

"He likes your personality."

"Oh damn. I knew there was something wrong with that man."

...

Merlotte's was busier than usual for a Thursday. Normally the slowest night of the week, Sam routinely scheduled fewer employees to cover the late shift, but even then the place was often over-staffed. However, tonight there were just enough customers to keep everybody busy. The more experienced members of his crew could find plenty of work to do, even on slow nights, but there were always a couple who had to be told so they weren't just standing around. In spite of himself, Sam always got irritated at that. There was always something that needed cleaning, stocking, or organizing. He had to remind himself that not every cook, busboy, or waitress was a self-starter, and that some micro-managing came with being the boss. _Thank goodness I never have to tell Sookie what needs doing._ He looked over the dining room where Sookie was moving briskly from table to table, refilling drinks, taking and delivering orders, and chatting with the customers. He was happy to see her back to her old self. She'd left a pretty big hole at work when she'd been ill, and Sam had forgotten just how good at her job she really was. _I really ought to give her a raise..._

He turned his attention to the other side of the bar where the pool table and the jukebox were. Josh and Bill were playing pool and, in spite of Bill's patient instruction, Josh hadn't gotten much better. Bill was currently trying to show Josh how to maneuver the cue smoothly, to strike through the cue ball, instead of jabbing at it. He smiled to himself and shook his head as he listened to their conversation.

"It seems simple enough, Bill, when y'all explain it, but I just can't seem to get the hang of it."

"I could glamour you, but I doubt it would help..."

The two had become regulars, coming in once or twice a month to play a game. He had to admit, Compton was considerate. They usually came in on Thursdays so the presence of the vampire would bother as few of his customers as possible. With very few exceptions, just the sight of Bill pulling into the parking lot or coming through the door produced a noticeable tension in the bar. Still, Sam had let it be generally known that the same rule applied to the vampire as to anyone else – as long as he was behaving himself, he was welcome, and if his other customers didn't like it they were free to go elsewhere. Besides, he figured the other pool players who frequented Merlotte's owed Bill big time for taking Josh off their hands. Without him pestering the others for a game, the numbers of players coming in on other nights to play a few games of bar pool had increased – even allowing for the ones who had stopped coming in to play on Thursdays to avoid the pair.

He'd had some misgivings about Bill coming to the bar since he and Sookie had broken up, but there hadn't been any problems there, either. Sookie paid Bill no more attention than she did any other customer, and Bill was usually so wrapped up in trying to teach Josh how to play pool without hurting himself that he hardly noticed Sookie at all.

Not a religious man, Sam nonetheless took the time to count his blessings. Business was good, his friends and employees were doing well, and things were even working out with Liz. She had been stunned when he'd told her about being a shape shifter. Her first reaction was that he had lost his mind, but eventually he had convinced her of the truth. Her experience with the supernatural had extended only as far as the fairytales her grandmother had told her as a child. Her world had been turned upside-down, and she'd spent quite a bit of time with Sookie trying to sort it all out. Sam never found out what they talked about in their frequent conversations, but whatever it was, Liz was gradually getting comfortable with the idea of him being not-quite human.

He hadn't thought he could ever care for somebody more than he cared for Sookie, but he did. Liz had caught him completely off guard. Meeting her at the hospital had been the one good thing to come out of that horrible couple of days.

Sam was roused from his reverie by Bill coming over to the bar with empties – Josh's used beer mug and his own finished bottle of TruBlood. "You guys done for the night?" he asked, as he took them from the vampire and put them in the bus tray below the bar.

"Yes, Sam. I think we've done all the damage we can for one night."

Sam lowered his voice. "Is he gettin' any better at all?"

Smiling and bracing himself against the bar with both hands, Bill said, "Nope. He is absolutely the worst I've seen in at least a century."

"I'm surprised you haven't given up."

"I would, but in spite of how terrible he is, he just _enjoys_ it so much." Bill shook his head. "It's like watching a train wreck. It's horrible, but you can't look away."

"Well, y'all are patient, I'll give you that. You've stuck it out longer than anybody else in Bon Temps."

"When you're dead, you can afford to be patient."

They both looked up and Bill turned as Josh came to the bar after putting the house cues in the rack.

"Heading home, Josh?" Sam asked.

"Yep. Debra will be wonderin' where I am." He addressed the vampire. "I'll get in touch for our next game, OK Bill?"

"Sure. Just leave me a voicemail."

"Tell Debra hello for me," Sam said as Josh walked out the door. Pausing, he looked around the bar for Sookie and, when he did not find her within earshot, he said to Bill. "I want to thank you for agreeing to keep an eye on Sookie tomorrow night."

"It's no problem. Like I said, I have to go to Shreveport anyway. I'll just have to go a little earlier, is all."

"Well, I know you still care for her, and it's got to be uncomfortable. But still, I want you to know I appreciate it."

Bill's smile had evaporated at the mention of Sookie. He changed the subject. "How are you and Liz doing?"

Sam needn't have answered. The expression that lit his face was all the answer needed. "We're doing real good."

"How's she coping with your... condition?"

"I think it's gonna be OK. She seems to be all right with it so far."

"That's good." Bill paid his check.

"Keep me posted tomorrow, OK? She has a knack for getting into trouble, and I'm gonna be worried until it's over."

"I will." Bill turned to leave. "Goodnight, Sam."

...

Returning from his trip to Monroe, Jason pulled his pickup into the parking lot in time to see Bill Compton walking toward his vehicle. He jumped from the truck, barely waiting for it to come to a stop. "Bill! Hold up..."

With his key in the car door, Bill looked up at his name and waited for Jason as he jogged across the lot. "Jason. It's good to see you. When did you get back?"

"Last night. Hey, I gotta ask you somethin.' " He hesitated, then, "What's going on between you and my sister? Is it true you broke up?"

Somber, Bill looked Jason in the eye. "Yes."

"What the hell happened, man? I thought you loved her."

"I do."

"Then what's the problem?"

"You'll have to ask her."

"I can't do that. Tara says she don't want to talk about it, and not to bring it up. So I'm asking you."

Bill looked at him silently, his expression enigmatic.

"C'mon Bill... she's my sister."

"I can't help you."

Before Jason could say anything more, the vampire turned away from him and got into his car. As he pulled out of Merlotte's parking lot, Jason watched him leave in disbelief. Muttering under his breath about "fuckin' vampires," he walked to the bar.

...

Bill headed toward home and considered his encounter with Jason. He hadn't exactly lied to him – he and Sookie had split up. They just hadn't stayed that way. But it was easy to tell half-truths. Too easy. Bill didn't want to slip back into his old ways. He'd almost lost the woman he loved because of his lies. Misleading Jason, Sam, Tara or anyone else didn't bother him, but he didn't want to take the chance of lying to Sookie again.

Decades of deception combined with the vampiric instinct for survival made mendacity the norm for his kind, and all of this secrecy left Bill walking the edge of a sword. It would be so easy to misstep. So easy to return to old habits. It was incredibly difficult for him, but he hadn't told that to Sookie. He did not want to burden her unnecessarily. He was determined to protect her.

He agreed to the secrecy of their engagement without hesitation because he knew Sookie needed this time to heal. Her body had recovered from her illness, but the mental and emotional trauma of months of unwelcome, unrelenting thoughts laying siege to her mind had taken more of a toll than Sookie would admit, even to herself.

Immediately after severing her connection to Eric, Sookie had asked Bill to reestablish theirs. He had refused in anticipation of confessing the real reason he had returned to Bon Temps. Even after their reconciliation, he had stalled and made excuses, eventually telling her that he wanted her to be free of the influence of his blood when they wed. While that was true, he had not told her that he wanted her to have as much peace as she could before he subjected her to a blood bond again. As much as he missed his connection with Sookie, he would not have agreed to renew it at all had she not been so insistent. Especially now.

Whatever Sookie's blood had done to him, it hadn't stopped. He was still noticing changes, and he found himself making small adjustments to them almost daily in a continual process of adaptation. Although she still didn't seem to be affected by the venom when she kissed him, he had learned to control it and was careful not to expose her to it when he fed. He worried that when the time came to renew their bond, his blood might be dangerous to her. It was a risk that he refused to take.

He would have to see Dr. Ludwig himself, and soon.

...

Sookie pulled into the lot at Fangtasia and turned off the ignition. It was still a few minutes before sunset. She had at least another half hour after that before it was full dark and the vampires would be up from their rest, and then she would have to wait until Bill arrived. She figured she had about an hour or so to kill before she would be needed, but it would be good to have a break. She had been busy all day, and she wasn't looking forward to this job for Eric. Thank God that Bill was coming.

She put back the seat of her car, relaxed, and closed her eyes. She went over the list in her head, mentally checking off things she had accomplished. She'd gone shopping for shoes, surprised that she'd found what she wanted right away. She'd been to a bridal shop and spent an hour or so looking at catalogs of bridesmaid dresses, and found some possibilities there, as well. It would have been nice to have Tara with her, but that wasn't possible right now.

_Lord, Tara's gonna' be spitting nails when she finds out I did this without her. I hope she doesn't stay mad at me too long._

It was funny. She had dresses and shoes picked, but no bridesmaids. Well, there was Tara. She was sure Tara would agree to be in her wedding, at least, if she wasn't still mad by then. And Jessica.

That was assuming there would even be a wedding.

Oh, she and Bill would have a civil ceremony in Vermont, so it would be legal. But they'd heard little from Brother Bede about a church wedding other than a short note he'd sent to Bill letting him know that he'd made the request, and was waiting for a response.

Most of the day had been spent with Janelle, her dressmaker, getting fitted for her wedding gown. Janelle was the same woman who had made Sookie's Civil War-era petticoat, and Sookie smiled to herself remembering the excitement on her face when she had asked her to make her wedding dress. Although she'd made historical and theatrical wedding gowns, she never been asked to make a dress for an actual wedding, and it was hard to tell who was enjoying it more, Sookie or the dressmaker. They'd gotten together earlier to pick out a fabric and design her dress. It wasn't a period piece – no Civil War dress-up for her – but Janelle was a skilled craftswoman and her knowledge of the history of clothing styles gave her a wonderful sense of what would and wouldn't work.

Sookie had never thought she'd get married, so she'd never done the daydreaming that many girls do as they grow up. She knew she wanted a long gown, but that was about it. Janelle had come up with a simple, elegant design that Sookie liked, and they'd gotten to work.

She thought back to the day she had arrived for her first muslin fitting. Janelle had surprised her. The fabric Sookie had picked, with the dressmaker's help, had arrived and Sookie had been dumbstruck when she saw it. Janelle had unwound part of the bolt and laid a length of the material into Sookie's hands. The heavy silk flowed like water across her fingers, and she gasped.

"Didn't I tell you it would be perfect? Just wait until I get it draped... you won't believe it. This stuff is such a joy to work with, too – it almost sews itself."

Sookie teared up.

"Sookie? What's wrong? Don't you like it? I thought when we picked it out you were happy with it."

"I never thought... it's _beautiful._ I've never seen anything like it. But, oh God, Janelle, I don't know if I can afford this. I didn't know it was _real _silk."

"I said it was silk when you picked it out. What did you think I meant?"

"I don't know a thing about sewing, or cloth, or anything. I thought it was, you know, imitation or something."

Janelle watched Sookie's fingers caress the rich fabric. "Don't worry about it. I got a good deal on that silk. It's pretty expensive, but the wholesaler had it sitting around forever so he gave it to me at half off the wholesale price just to get it out of his warehouse and off his inventory."

Sookie looked at her, disbelief plain on her face.

_Forty years of sewing for other people, and this is the first time anybody's asked me to actually design something. Not some damned period-piece-of-shit ugliness for some low-budget movie dreamed up by a wanna-be costume designer who only got the job because she's sleeping with the producer...God, I don't want to lose this job. _"I can do the whole thing for about a thousand dollars. Can you come up with that much?"

"Yeah, I can." _Geeze, that will barely cover what she paid for the silk. _"But that won't even pay for your work."

A look of delight appeared on the dressmaker's face. "Sookie, for the first time in my career I get to make a dress of my own design, of beautiful fabric, just for the sheer joy of it, for somebody who will appreciate it. That's my payment for my work."

Sookie smiled at her. _She means it...but still..._ "OK. Let's do it."

Today, when she had returned for another fitting, much of the dress had been draped, and it was beautiful. It was more than Sookie had imagined. When they had finished, just as she was leaving, Janelle gave her a flat box.

"What's this?"

"Well, I thought your groom might need it. It's for his tux."

Sookie opened the box to find a beautiful cummerbund made of the same silk as her dress. "Oh Lord, I can't take this... you've done so much already."

"Nonsense. There's no way he'll be able to find something to match your dress."

Sookie had hugged her, promising to herself that she would find some way to repay her.

Sitting in the parking lot of Fangtasia and tired from her day, Sookie began to nod off in the driver's seat. Within minutes, she was asleep.

...

A soft tapping on the window woke her. When she opened her eyes, it was full dark and Bill stood next to her door, smiling. Sookie pulled her seat upright, unbuckled her seatbelt, and got out, hugging him.

"Hmm... do you always sleep in the parking lot of disreputable businesses, Sookie?"

She looked up at him. "Only when I'm waiting for disreputable men."

Bill arched an eyebrow at her. "And did you find one?"

She giggled. "Oh God, I sure hope so."

"Are you sure you want to do this, Sweetheart? You can still back out."

"Well, I'm not looking forward to it, but I want to do it. Eric doesn't know it yet, but he's paying for my dress."

"Ahh... now I understand. I thought you wouldn't let me pay for it because you like your independence. What you really want is to vex Eric."

"Yes."

"Well then. Let's get on with it, shall we?"

"We shall."

...

* http (colon) /earthquake (dot) usgs (dot) gov/earthquakes/recenteqscanv/


	54. Chapter 54

Chapter 54

Pam was behind the bar and looked up when Bill and Sookie came in. Her eyes narrowed. Sookie looked the same as always – Pam had long thought she was an insipid and boring human. But there was something about Compton that seemed different, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She'd watch him carefully and discuss it with her maker later.

"Hello Bill, Sookie. You're early." Her voice dripped with disdain.

Ignoring her attitude, Bill nodded, and Sookie greeted her. "Hey, Pam. Y'all got anything cold to drink? I'm just parched, but I don't want anything with alcohol in it."

"Of course. How about iced tea?"

"That'd be just great." _I don't know what it is about Pam, but she can be condescending no matter what she's doing._ Taking her tea, she and Bill settled into a booth before Eric's visitor arrived. The look Pam had given them when they walked in made Sookie wish she had a gin and tonic instead of a glass of tea, but she wanted to keep her head clear. She was doing her best to appear calm, but she was nervous. The first time she had worked for Eric she'd been nearly killed and Bill had ended up in front of the magister for protecting her. And the job in Dallas had been no better. Everything had gone wrong, and Eric's attempt at a blood bond had nearly killed her, as well. It was a pattern she was eager to break.

She could have tolerated Eric if he wasn't so damned devious. She had to admit, though, that deception, scheming, and intrigue seemed to be common among vampires. Even her Bill. She almost lost the love of her life because of it, and she knew even now he was struggling with it.

She'd worry about it later. Right now she had to focus. She had a job to do, and she was anxious to get it done and over with.

They had no sooner slid into the booth when Eric came into the bar from the back. He noted Bill sitting with Sookie as he approached. "Bill, playing chaperone for our telepath?"

"I'm here to protect Sookie. I don't want a repeat of what happened last time you engaged her services."

Eric place his hand over his heart and made a slight bow. "You have my word, Bill. No more attempts to bond with your human. I wouldn't dream of compromising her abilities."

"Don't forget Longshadow. You stood by while he attacked her."

"Yes, that was quite a mess. I'm sure she won't your protection tonight. Ir's only a single human."

"Nevertheless..."

Sookie interrupted. "I'd appreciate it if y'all wouldn't talk about me like I'm not sitting right here, Eric. It's rude." She gave him a pointed look and a scowl.

Eric tilted his head as he addressed at her. "My apologies, Ms. Stackhouse." She couldn't be glamoured, a blood bond wasn't an option, and he couldn't be sure her telepathy would survive turning. Fortunately, she was proving to be manageable with simple human courtesy, no matter how insincere. It was a tool he hadn't thought to use in manipulating humans before, but he would readily adopt it in the future. It had the added advantage of producing good PR.

His smugness infuriated her and she would have walked out right then and there just so she wouldn't have to deal with it, but she bit her lip. She knew that when he found out that she was marrying Bill it would make his head explode, and payback was _sooo_ worth the aggravation. She forced herself to remain seated and respond politely.

"Thank you."

"Sookie, when my 'guest' arrives, I want you to portray yourself as a cowed human belonging to a vampire."

Curious, she asked, "Why?"

"It will put him on edge and give me a better position in our negotiations."

Sookie had agreed only to listen, and was about to snap at him with an angry retort; but Bill interrupted before she could get the words out. "You will, of course, provide additional compensation for her if she does so. Acting wasn't part of the initial agreement." He placed his arm along the back of the booth behind Sookie, the tips of his fingers casually stroking the side of her neck. He appeared every inch the possessive vampire letting others know that this human was his. It was no act, and the warning to Eric was clear.

Eric's eyes flashed at him with irritation, but retained his composure. "Of course."

Before anyone could utter another word, the door to the bar opened and a man walked in, wearing jeans and a T-shirt. Sookie abruptly decided to accede to Eric's request; she assumed a timid demeanor and looked down at the table top. She watched the stranger furtively from beneath her lashes. He was short but stocky, well muscled, and without an ounce of fat. He had dark hair and eyes, and a dark complexion. She couldn't guess his ethnicity. She concentrated and heard him thinking.

_Damn, I hate dealing with these fucking freaks. I can't wait to get this over so I can get the hell out of here._

He nodded to Eric, then scowled at Bill and Sookie. "I thought we were meeting to discuss business – alone. Who the hell're they?"

"This is my associate, Mr. Compton."

"And the girl?"

Bill looked at him stonily. "Lunch."

_Oh fuck... keep it together._ He indicated Pam with a nod in her direction. "And her?"

"Pam's my partner in the business. I'd like her input."

"Then let's get on with it. I don't have all night."

Eric led him to a table near the bar and they sat, the man with his back to the booth where Bill and Sookie were, and Pam taking her place nearby on a barstool. The conversation revolved around a discussion of liquor availability, pricing, and quality, along with delivery schedules and acceptable payment methods and terms. After listening for nearly 40 minutes, Sookie stifled a bored yawn. The man's thoughts for the most part ran side by side with his words. He was focused on nothing more than the business at hand. She slipped a hand beneath the table and placed it on Bill's thigh, and he reached across his lap and held it with his free hand, twining his fingers in hers. She wanted to be with alone with him, not wasting her time doing this job for Eric. Her mind began to wander and she began to contemplate more pleasant alternatives to sitting in this stuffy bar.

Bill's attention remained on Eric and the unknown man with him. He wasn't at all interested in Eric's business dealings, but he observed them closely nonetheless, alert for any sign of danger to Sookie. He was distracted when Sookie's grip on his hand tightened suddenly, and he glanced at her. Sookie raised her head to meet his eyes, and he saw a look of warning on her face.

...

Hour after hour and day after day, the members of the congregation met and Bede felt completely out of his depth. Besides Fr. Desmaris, who headed the group, and Brother Bede, others assigned to the congregation included a Jesuit priest who held multiple degrees in theology, philosophy, and logic, as well as a physician, a mathematician, a physicist, and a canon lawyer, all of whom were Catholic laymen. There were others, members of the congregation and various support staff, but he simply couldn't keep all their names straight yet, much less their credentials.

Bede had studied diligently to become a Dominican brother, but he never had a head for theology or its subtle distinctions. It had been a struggle for him to plow through his religious education. Even basic apologetics was beyond him. It wasn't that he couldn't grasp the material; he was more intelligent than he realized. But God was as real to him as anyone he met on the street, and it all seemed to complicate something that was so simple. He thought that the fault must lie in him.

He had no idea that he had been given the gift of faith. True to his nature, he assumed that his difficulty with his studies was because he was just not as smart as those around him. It had never occurred to him that the purpose of the learning was to bolster the faith of those who hadn't been blessed as he'd been.

His mind wandered as he tried to make sense of it all. He was a decent cook thanks to the efforts of a member of his community years ago, but other than that, he felt as superfluous as tits on a boar. _Lord, why am I here? _He felt sure that it was a mistake. He was good at filing, a simple task that he enjoyed and made him feel useful. But these were learned, well-educated people of God, and he was not. He should be getting coffee and making copies for the congregation, not sitting at the table with them. Yet, Fr. Desmaris had told him at their first meeting that the Pope wanted him on this task, so he accepted the post in obedience.

_Why in the world would His Holiness even notice me, much less put me here?_ As usual, his innate humility left him completely bewildered. He was so distracted and confounded by it all, that he hadn't even noticed the silence around him, or that he was being addressed by name.

"BEDE!"

Brother Bede came back to his surroundings with a start. "Yes? Yes? I'm sorry..."

From the head of the conference table, Fr. Fred smiled at him indulgently. "Are you with us, Brother?"

"In body, Father. I'm afraid this discussion is too lofty for my mean understanding. I'm completely lost."

"We were discussing the soul, Brother."

Bede sighed. "I'm no theologian. I know very little about the soul, except that God gave me one."

Mr. Sutherland, a lay canon lawyer assigned to the congregation as the expert on church law, sat across from the monk. "What about vampires, Brother? Do you think vampires have souls?"

"Well, they were human once, so of course I believe God created each of them with a soul."

"But now?"

"I don't know... the theology of it all is beyond me."

Fr. Fred leaned forward on the table, turning his pen in his hands. "Forget about theology for a minute, Brother, and focus on experience. You're the only one of us who actually knows a vampire."

Surprised, Fr. Nicolaides, the Jesuit asked, "Is that true?"

Bede nodded over his folded hands. "Yes. My friend Mr. Compton is a vampire."

There was a murmuring of voices around the table. They knew the circumstances that had prompted the formation of the congregation, but they had not known that one of their number was actually acquainted with the vampire in question. Fr. Fred asked, "So tell us, Brother Bede. Do you think your friend has a soul?"

"Oh my, my, my... I'm not qualified to give you an answer."

"Humor me. I'm not asking you as an official of the congregation. I'm only asking for your opinion, as his friend. Do you think Mr. Compton has a soul?"

"Yes. Absolutely. Yes, yes, yes."

Everyone began speaking at once, and Fr. Fred held up a hand to quiet the room.

"Why you think so?"

"Well, because he loves Ms. Stackhouse. How can someone love if he has no soul?"

Fr. Nicolaides interrupted. "Are you sure he loves her? I mean no disrespect to you or your friend, but how do you know that it's not lust? Or even hunger? He is a vampire."

Bede thought for a minute. "Well, because he is willing to die to protect her."

"But he's already dead..."

"Oh my, my, my, that's true, yes... technically. I mean what's called by vampires 'the true death.' "

Fr. Fred looked at the brother thoughtfully. "Can you explain that, Brother?"

Pausing to collect his thoughts, he began. "There was a murderer in their town, a very evil man. He had targeted Ms. Stackhouse as his next victim. During the attack, Mr. Compton left his place of safety to try to save her."

Dr. Ramirez asked, "And in what way was this... what did you call it... risking 'true death?'"

Turning to the dark-eyed physician, he answered her directly. "It was full day. He walked out into the sunlight." The murmuring got louder and the brother closed his eyes and shook his head, remembering how horrified he had been when he heard the story from Sookie. "I understand that afterward they found him in a heap of charred and smoldering flesh on the grass near where Ms. Stackhouse was assaulted. He got far enough before he collapsed that he was able to call out to her while the killer was distracted. Ms. Stackhouse told me that if he hadn't roused her, she wouldn't have been able to defend herself."

The Jesuit asked, "Were there any witnesses?"

"Yes. Mr. Merlotte was there."

Fr. Fred had another question, as well. "How did he survive the exposure to daylight?"

"Mr. Merlotte picked him up and hid his body from sunlight, but neither he nor Ms. Stackhouse thought there was any hope for his survival. It was quite distressing. Yes. Yes."

Bede looked from person to person as the murmurs blossomed into full voice and they discussed his testimony among themselves. He didn't understand them – there were so many, speaking all speaking at once. He remained quiet, trying to understand why they were so agitated.

Fr. Fred watched the monk as the discussion went on around them for some time. _He really is confounded by all this. He has no idea... he thinks it is all so simple. _He thought for a moment. _Perhaps it is..._ He asked, "You think the actions of this dead man prove that love, don't you, Bede?"

Bede nodded silently, and looked down at his hands folded on the table. Fr. Desmaris rose and quieted the table with a gesture of his hand, interrupting the discussions going on in the room.

"Well, I think we have had more than enough to think about today. Please meet among yourselves for the next few days, and we'll resume our formal session as scheduled." He sighed. "Besides, I need a smoke..." They all laughed. Each member of the group was well aware of Fr. Fred's ongoing tobacco addiction and his multitude of attempts to quit, some of them quite inventive, all of them entertaining, and none of them successful. Students, faculty, and friends alike kept a running pool on when his next attempt would occur and how many days he would last before succumbing to the lure of a cigarette. He had long known about the casual betting that occurred whenever he tried to quit, but was completely unaware of just how large an underground economy he was unwittingly responsible for.

...

As the congregation broke up and members went their different ways, Fr. Fred signaled Brother Bede to accompany him. In the priest's usual smoking spot in the parking lot, Brother Bede waited patiently while he retrieved his cigarettes and went through the ritual of looking for his lighter, even though it was always in the same pocket. Fr. Fred didn't speak until he had taken his first drag from the cigarette. Exhaling, he said, "...no greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends."

Bede nodded. "John 15, verse 13."

"I assume that's what you were thinking of."

"Yes. Yes it was."

"Would Mr. Compton would be willing to meet with the congregation, Brother? I think it would be very helpful."

"I don't know. But if you think it would help, I certainly could ask." The monk paused, then said, "Do you think my friends will be able to wed, Father?"

Fr. Desmaris took another long pull at his cigarette and his words surfed the wave of smoke as he exhaled. "Marriage follows consent. It's the couple who wed each other by their mutual agreement. The celebrant simply serves as official witness for the body of the church. So yes, I think so, though perhaps not officially. It will take years for the congregation to form policy in line with Catholic teaching. "

"Mother Church moves so slowly."

"She's a big institution, and her decisions touch on eternity. She needs to be careful. There are souls at risk, and the Lord grieves at the loss of a single one."

Bede sighed. "Like a falling sparrow."

Fr. Fred finished his cigarette. "Go get in touch with your friend, Bede."

...

Bill turned away from Sookie and lifted a finger from the back of the booth, signaling Eric surreptitiously, catching his eye over the stranger's shoulder and shaking his head to signal "No." Without interruption, Eric smoothly continued his conversation. Then he stood, taking the man by surprise.

"I'll discuss this with Pam and get back to you next week."

"What the hell do you mean, next week? I thought we were cutting a deal today."

"Yes. You've given me a lot to think about and, as I mentioned, I'd like Pam's input."

Disgusted, the man rose angrily from the table. "You have my number. Call me when you have the balls to make a decision yourself." He left, and the bar door slammed open as he went out.

Eric watched him leave, hands in his pockets. With his eyes still on the doorway, he said, "I hope you have a good reason to interrupt, Bill, or you're going to find it difficult to make up the amount of money you just cost me."

He turned as Sookie slid out of the booth and walked over to him, looking up at his face and examining him closely. Bill followed. Pam dismounted the barstool and joined them.

Eric looked at her, waiting for her to speak.

"Who the hell did you piss off this time, Eric? Why does somebody want your bar closed?"

Bill put his hand on her shoulder. "What do you mean?

She turned to him. "It's a scam. There's no distributor. There isn't even any liquor."

Eric glanced at Pam, catching her eye with an unspoken signal, and she locked the front door, then headed toward the back to make sure the rest of the building was secure.

"Explain."

The three of them, Eric, Sookie, and Bill, sat down at the table where Eric had been sitting with the unnamed man.

"It's some kind of sting. Somebody want's to close you down, and they're trying to get your liquor license revoked."

Eric's face was unreadable. "Who is it?" He glanced up as Pam returned and stood near the table, arms folded.

"I don't know."

Interrupting, Bill asked. "What did you hear, Sookie?"

"Not much. He's good, Bill. Really focused. His thoughts didn't wander at all, not like normal folks. It's like he was some kind of actor or something, like he was so into the role he was playing that he almost was somebody else." She turned to Eric. "He didn't slip at all, not until at the very end, when he thought you were going for the deal. Then it was just _'they ought to just stake him instead of fucking around_' and an image of this place, boarded up."

Bill said, "It sounds almost as if they knew you'd be listening." He looked at Eric. "Somebody is trying to make you vulnerable. Do you know who could be behind this, Eric?"

"No. But I can't have my business compromised. If it gets out that I was even attempting to purchase liquor illegally, my license would be pulled."

"Turn him in."

Both vampires looked at Sookie.

"Turn him in, Eric. Call the Liquor Commission."

Pam said, "That's a smart move. It gets you off the hook."

Sookie continued, "Yeah, and it makes you look like a respectable citizen, besides."

"Hmmm, I can tell them I was simply getting information and when I was certain it was illegal, I terminated the meeting and called the authorities." He smiled. "Very good, Ms. Stackhouse. You're quite the cunning human. Well worth every cent I'm paying you."

"Speaking of which, can I get my check and get out of here? It's been a long day."

"Absolutely." He nodded to Pam, who headed toward the office. "Bill, we need to discuss this further."

"I agree. Whoever it is, if they know what Sookie can do, she could be in danger."

Pam returned with a check which Eric proceeded to fill out. He handed it to Sookie. "Here you are, Sookie."

Sookie gasped when she looked at the check. "This is $3000."

"Yes. You saved me a lot of trouble. It would be shortsighted of me not to compensate you appropriately."

"Thank you," she said sincerely.

Bill said, "Sookie, I have an appointment to keep, and I want to make sure you get on your way safely. We should go." Nodding, she rose from the table with him and they left the bar.

Pam watched them leave and snorted. "That was a hell of a lot of money, Eric. You could have paid a lot less."

"I'm aware of that. But it's worth it if I can encourage her to work for me on a regular basis. If I treat her well, it will keep Compton mollified, as well. He's infatuated with her."

"Speaking of Bill, what's with him? He's not himself lately."

"I noticed. He hasn't been as deferential to his sheriff as he should be."

"I wondered about that. Do you think he's planning something?"

"I don't know. But as long as he's besotted with that human, he's controllable. We can always get to him through her." Eric rose from the table. "Get ready to open, Pam. I have a call to make."

...

Sookie stopped beside her yellow car and wrapped her arms around Bill, giving him a long, lingering kiss before she spoke. "I'm so glad that's over."

"So am I. But I'm concerned, Sookie."

"Yeah, me too, a little bit. But don't worry. I'll be OK. I'll be extra careful."

"You will go straight home, won't you?"

"Yes. You want me to call when I get home?"

"Please. I'll feel more comfortable when I know you're home."

Changing the subject, she asked, "So, Mr. Compton. Where are you off to on your mysterious appointment tonight?"

Bill smiled. "Nothing mysterious about it. I'm off to meet with the jeweler about our wedding rings."

"You know, the bride usually has some say in picking out her own ring. How do I know I'm even going to like it?"

He kissed her forehead. "You'll love it. Just as I will love your dress."

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Sookie opened her car and pulled out the box she'd gotten from her dressmaker. "This is for you, Bill."

"What's this?" He started to remove the lid, but Sookie put her hand on his to stop him.

"It's a cummerbund to wear with your tux. But I don't want you to open it until our wedding day, OK?"

"Certainly, Miss Stackhouse."

Sookie gave him one last kiss before climbing in her car. She waved as she pulled out of the lot and headed back to Bon Temps, and Bill stood watching until she was well out of sight. He then walked to his own car to head to his meeting with the jeweler, promising himself to consider carefully what had happened tonight at Fangtasia. Trouble was coming. He could feel it in his dead bones.


	55. Chapter 55

Chapter 55

It was past 9:30, and Jimmy slouched against the wall outside of the store nursing a Gatorade. He would have been gone already if his dad hadn't asked him to wait for their last customer of the evening. It was Friday night, and the 17-year-old was supposed to be out bowling with his friends, not still cooling his heels at work. He didn't usually mind helping out at the family business, but there was a fund raiser tonight for new computers at his high school and they were having an all-night bowling marathon followed by a pancake breakfast at a local diner at dawn. They had collected pledges for every point scored and, besides earning money for the computer lab, there were also prizes for the first bowler to score a perfect game or attain the highest score of the night, as well as for the bowler who managed to last the longest in terms of number of games bowled. Jimmy knew he didn't stand a chance at being the high scorer for the night, but he was hoping to outlast his peers in sheer stamina. He had his eye on one of the two new laptops that had been donated as prizes.

He couldn't understand why his dad and his uncles were staying so late. The store was open until 6:30 every night and until 5:30 on Saturdays. That usually was plenty of time for folks to do their shopping. At least his mom hadn't stayed. She did all the bookkeeping for the business and was pretty tired by the end of each day. He scowled. His family worked hard enough as it was, and he was pissed that they had to stay late. _It's probably some rich asshole who doesn't care about working folks and how much inconvenience they cause 'em... _

He felt sure his suspicions were right when he saw the black BMW pull into the lot and park, and he mumbled under his breath. "Jerk." A man got out of the car, and Jimmy swallowed hard as he approached. _Geeze, that's one scary dude. I hope dad's gonna be OK._

Bill approached the door and the teenager waiting there.

"Are you Mr. Compton?"

Bill nodded, adding. "Yes. I have an appointment."

"They're waitin' for ya." He unlocked the door, allowing Bill to enter ahead of him. As they entered, Jimmy hollered. "Dad, you're customer's here."

Jimmy's dad walked out of the back of the store. "Thanks, Jimmy. You go on ahead to your tournament. We'll be by later if we get done in time." Jimmy nodded at his dad, took a second look at the stranger and left, his dad locking the door behind him.

...===

Jimmy arrived at the bowling alley and was greeted by his best friend, Dwight. "Shit, 'bout time you got here. Where you been?"

"I had to help out at the store last minute."

"Don't your folks know you're too young for all that? Y'all ain't supposed to be working yet."

"You should talk," he grinned, as he poked him with a fist. "You still got that paper route?" His friend was the varsity football captain, the stereotype of a black athlete, and Jimmy fully expected him to get a free ride to college – if not on an athletic scholarship, he was taking college prep courses and habitually got straight A's. His academics alone were strong enough to get a full scholarship to any school in the country. The perfect combination of brains and brawn, Jimmy would have been jealous if they weren't such good friends. Dwight was accompanied by a stranger. "Who's this?" he asked.

"Oh, sorry man. This is my cousin, Shabazz. He's uncle Lawrence and aunt Rita's kid."

Jimmy looked at Dwight's cousin and couldn't stop himself from blurting out, "_**Shabazz?**_ Who the hell named you Shabazz?" he asked.

Dwight's complexion was dark with a reddish undertone, and his skin looked like polished mahogany. Much to Jimmy's chagrin, he also was so good looking that there wasn't a girl in school who even noticed him when the two walked down the halls together – their attention was all fixed on Dwight. But this kid? He was tall and skinny, all elbows and knees, with reddish-blond hair, blue eyes, and freckles scattered over paper-white skin. _Dwight told me once his aunt and uncle adopted a bunch of kids..._

Shabazz blushed, and Jimmy stared in amazement as the teen's ears turned a blistering red. "My mom has this thing for Denzel Washington, and one of her favorite movies is Malcolm X. She got my name from the movie."

"Oh, dude, you should sue..." Jimmy did his best to be polite, but couldn't stop himself. He looked at Dwight, choked, sputtered, and then broke into laughter that continued unabated until his sides hurt and tears rolled down his face as he leaned against a vending machine. Dwight shook his head at the outburst. Finally able to speak, but still short of breath, he said, "I'm named after my dad, so my folks hung Orville on me."

Shabazz's expression morphed from embarrassment to pity. "That's way harsh."

"That's why I go by my middle name."

Dwight interrupted. "Are you two done with the male bonding? 'Cause our lane is waiting."

The three teens grabbed their shoes and bowling balls and headed for the lane.

...===

Orville Johnson, Sr., master jeweler and owner of the store, led Bill to a private office off the main sales floor. It was small but not cramped, and furnished with a wooden table lovingly buffed to a satin finish. Six comfortable office chairs upholstered in black leather were arranged around it. A jeweler's lamp was positioned at one end, and beneath the lamp a series of instruments; a jewelry board covered in black velvet, loupe, jewelry tweezers, caliper, and a small, electronic scale. Orville's brothers-in-law were already seated, and he introduced them after directing Bill to a chair across the table from the pair. "Mr. Compton, I'd like to introduce you to my partners, Martin and Abel Fleury. Martin is a GIA AJA designer, and Abel is a GIA-certified gemologist."

Bill nodded in acknowledgment, but did not offer his hand. "Gentlemen. Thank you for agreeing to meet with me outside your normal business hours."

Orville joined his partners at the table, folding his hands on the surface. "How may we help you, Mr. Compton?"

Pulling a folded sheet of paper from his shirt pocket, Bill opened it and placed it before them. "I need a matched pair of rings, his and hers. I'd like these features incorporated into the design."

Martin pulled the paper toward himself and studied the list closely, his colleagues looking over his shoulder. "Y'all have spent some time thinking about this, I see." He looked up as Bill answered, "I have." Continuing his perusal, Martin noted the interlaced letters of a monogram, and he questioned it. "Mr. Compton, am I mistaken, or is this the logo for Smith & Wesson gun works?"

"It is. I'd like something similar as a monogram, with the letters entwined as these are rather than side by side. Naturally, this is completely inappropriate, but I thought it would give you an idea of what I am looking for. The same letters and a bit old-fashioned, as this is, but more feminine. Perhaps with flowers?"

Abel had remained silent. He didn't usually speak when consulting on custom designs, but observed everything and made his suggestions to his partners in private. This visitor, however, piqued his curiosity enough to overcome his natural shyness and, to the surprise of both Orville and Martin, he spoke up. "Mr. Compton, are these wedding rings?"

Bill looked at him, and had there been any doubt about his inhuman nature, his expression quickly eliminated it. He deliberately hadn't mentioned the purpose of the rings. Except in Vermont, marriage between vampires and humans was illegal. More to the point, it was vehemently disapproved of by humans in general. Just broaching the subject in public was sufficient to raise the level of animosity toward the vampire community to intolerable levels. The whole situation was a minefield, and there was no way to predict how any given human would react. Regardless, these rings were important to him, and he hoped he wouldn't have to deal with any anti-vampire bigotry tonight. These men were some of the best in the business, and he didn't want to entrust Sookie's ring to anyone less qualified.

After a pause, he said, simply, "Yes." Abel continued to stare at the paper, never noticing the change in Bill's expression. He watched as his brother opened his design book, pulled out a pencil and began to sketch. Bill waited, wondering what his reaction would be, and was pleasantly surprised when the gemologist ignored the subject entirely.

"Flowers would be fine for the bride, but too feminine for the groom." He looked at Martin. "What do you think of something with vines and leaves instead? Maybe more Art Nouveau...?"

Martin nodded and turned to the vampire. "Mr. Compton, when designing matching rings for a couple, it's important that both rings be in harmony with the wearers. You don't want a style so masculine that it would overpower the woman's hand, or too delicate for the man's." Bill nodded in acknowledgment. "I don't see anything else other than the monogram for the gallery. I assume these are for a vampire-human couple?"

"Yes. For my fiancée and me."

"I see, I see. Would you be willing to allow me a little leeway in the design? If you tell me a little bit about your fiancée, I think I can come up with something appropriate for the opposite side of the gallery."

Bill said, "Yes, that would be fine."

"Mr. Compton," said Orville, "you haven't really specified what kind of stones you are looking for."

"I want diamonds, of course. But the center stone must be something special. The type of stone is not as important as the color. I am looking for something very specific. As well, it must hold it's color in both sunlight and artificial light."

"Yes, of course. There are so many color-changing stones on the market right now." Orville rose from the table. "Let me pull some gems from the safe and we can see what you have in mind."

...===

Sookie got home without incident and dropped her belongings on the table as she came in. Even though she was ready to go to bed, she took the time to boil and skin a pot of potatoes to bring to Jason's barbecue the next day. She put them in the fridge to cool, intending to finish the potato salad before she went to her brother's place.

Too tired to shower, she changed into a short pink nightgown and stretched out in her bed in the dark, listening to the cicadas through the open window of her room. She needed some sleep, but the events of the evening had her mind running in overdrive and she couldn't relax. She couldn't imagine who could be after Eric, but then, he had such a way of rubbing everyone the wrong way, it could be anyone. She'd even contemplated it herself from time to time since he'd pulled that nasty trick on her in Dallas.

Sick of thinking about vampire business, she turned her thoughts to Bill. _I wonder what he has up his sleeve for our rings?_ She was a bit miffed that Bill hadn't included her in the decision, but she had to admit, it was romantic. _I don't even know if rings for vampires are different than human rings..._ She closed her eyes and tried to imagine a vampire ring but, in her fatigue, all should could come up with was the image of a cheesy bat ring she had seen in some old Halloween catalog years before. She chuckled softly aloud when she thought of wearing such a thing as a wedding ring.

"What's so amusing, Sweetheart?"

Sookie's eyes flew open to find Bill standing near her in the dark room. "Bill!" She sat up and reached for his hand, pulling him down to the bed. "How did you get in?"

He smiled as he sat. "Oh, I have my methods."

"I didn't think I'd see you again tonight."

"Things went rather better than I'd expected."

"Y'all're still not going to tell me about the rings?"

"Nope. It's a surprise, and I want to keep it that way."

"Sometimes you frustrate the bejeebers out of me."

"Good. That makes us even." He leaned over to kiss her softly on the lips.

Sookie unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it open, sliding her arms around him to stroke his skin as she leaned in and inhaled deeply. "God, I love the way you smell." She held him tightly, her head against his chest. "Do you have time to stay?"

He stroked her hair, resting his cheek against her and inhaling her fragrance. "No, Sweetheart, I'm afraid not. I have to make travel arrangements."

Sookie pulled back, startled. "Travel arrangements? You're going somewhere? How come? When? How long will you be gone? When are you coming back...?"

Bill put a finger to her lips to quiet her. "Sookie. Relax. I got a message from Brother Bede in Rome. He's asked if I would come to speak with the committee that is meeting there. It's about our wedding."

"Really? Do you think it's good news?"

"I don't know. But if it will help you have the wedding your grandmother wished for you, I certainly will go."

"I can't believe y'all are going through all this for me."

He tucked her hair behind her ear. "Sookie, I would do anything for you."

She looked at him thoughtfully. "Y'all don't really care about a church wedding, do you?"

"I didn't think so at first. As long as I could be with you, I thought that was enough. Until you left me."

"I'm sorry about all that."

"So am I. I lost myself after I was turned. You gave that back to me."

She placed both hands on his chest and looked into his eyes. "Bill, if this is all too much bother, we can just skip the church part. A justice of the peace in Vermont will be fine. My gran would understand and I don't think God would mind."

"But I would. I don't want to do this by halves. And I'd like to honor your grandmother's memory. She was very gracious to me, and I haven't forgotten that." He smiled again. "Besides, Brother Bede is fully convinced this is all part of some grand plan. I would hate to disillusion him."

"I miss him. I feel like I've known him forever. I hope I get to see him again."

"You will. Even if I have to take you to Rome for a visit... or a honeymoon."

"Honeymoon! I've been so busy I haven't had even a minute to think about that!"

"You're falling down on the job, Sweetheart. Must I do everything myself?"

She pouted at him. "Y'all're hardly doing everything yourself, Bill...'

"Oh, I don't know... first I had to coerce you into accepting my proposal, see to both civil and religious ceremonies, arrange for our rings, and now apparently I will be planning our honeymoon alone since you seem to be ignoring it."

She poked him in the chest with her forefinger...hard. "Listen, mister. The only honeymoon I really want is to get you in a light-proof suite someplace for a week with a case of TruBlood, room service, and some interesting underwear."

Bill's eyebrows raised in surprise. "A man should be wary of such wanton behavior in a wife, Miss Stackhouse."

Slipping from beneath the sheets and onto her knees on the bed, she said, "Yeah, but you're not a man anymore, Bill Compton, and I know for a fact you like it."

"I must admit, I do."

She climbed into his lap and held him. "Then quit complaining about it and kiss me."

...===

Jimmy yawned hugely and Dwight poked him. "Man, didn't your momma teach you any manners? Cover your mouth when you do that."

"Sorry, D." Jimmy, Shabazz, and Dwight were sitting at the diner as the sun came up, taking a pause after their third stack of pancakes. The diner was hosting the all-you-can-eat, after-marathon pancake breakfast, and a portion of each sale went to the high school computer lab fund. The place was filled with those who had spent all night bowling, and they looked like survivors of a zombie Armageddon as the sun came up over the horizon and streamed through the windows, illuminating weary faces and complexions with dark circles beneath the eyes.

"Dwight said you were a pretty good bowler. I thought you'd do better tonight, Jimmy," said Shabazz

"Yeah man, what was with you? You bowled like shit. Nobody's gonna get broke paying off your pledges."

"I was distracted. Couldn't keep my mind on what I was doing."

"How come?" asked Dwight.

"Oh, my dad and my uncles stayed late for a customer last night."

"The guy that made you late in the first place?"

"Yeah."

"So?"

"He was scary as hell. I couldn't stop thinking about him.."

Shabazz said, "Why? He some biker dude or something?"

"No. A vamp."

"You're kidding."

"Yeah, that's why they had to stay late."

Dwight looked at his friend. "Y'all have seen vampires before. We saw a couple at the mall last winter, remember? What was so different about this one?"

Jimmy shook his head. "I don't know. He just got my back hairs up."

"You're dad seemed OK when he came by to watch you bowl," said Shabazz.

"Yeah, I guess he did. Still, the guy was creepy."

Wiping his mouth on a napkin, Dwight stood up and dug in his pocket for a tip for the waitress. "Man, you worry too much. C'mon, Shabazz. Mom's making ham and eggs this morning. Maybe if we get home fast enough we can get some before my brothers bogart it all."

Jimmy rose from the table with them, his worry shelved by Dwight's remark. "Ham and eggs? We just killed three breakfasts. How can you _possibly_ still be hungry?"

"Ain't you heard, bro? I'm a growin' boy..."

...===

Dressed in shorts and a halter, Sookie was stretched out on a chaise lounge in Jason's back yard, basking in the sun and letting the heat soak into her bones. _I must have been a lizard in a past life..._ she thought to herself. Jason was starting a round of burgers and franks on the grill. Their Saturday barbecue had become an informal get-together with the impromptu arrival of Tara and Lafayette.

"Hooker, y'all are gonna fry that pale skin of yours if you don't get some shade." Lafayette was firmly entrenched beneath a market umbrella with a cold beer.

"The heat just feels so good. I promise, I'll get out of the sun before I get burned."

Tara interjected. "I don't understand white people at all, Lafayette. They give us no end grief because of the color of our skin, then spend their time in the sun or some damned tanning booth soaking up radiation and dodging melanoma trying to look like us. Hell, they're even spray painting themselves now. Makes no damned sense at all."

"Y'all are gonna end up in a padded room next to my momma if'n you try to figure out white folks, Tara Mae. They's all twisted up."

"Um hmm."

Sookie smiled at the banter. It was nice to have a day off where she could just relax with her family and friends, not worry about being in danger, not have to think about vampire politics, and not have to deal with nasty customers. The only thing missing was Bill. Soon, their relationship would be out in the open. She dreaded being exposed to the horrible thoughts of the residents of Bon Temps about it, but there were compensations. Like being able to spend more time with him. Her smiled broadened.

"Sookie," said Tara, "Y'all are grinning like a Cheshire cat. What's going on?"

"I'm just enjoying myself. I feel so good since Dr. Ludwig fixed me up. The job for Eric is done and I made some money for some things I need. I don't have a blood connection with anybody so I don't have to worry about who all is spying on me. I don't have anybody's nasty thoughts poking at me. It's my day off, the sun is shining, and I get to spend the afternoon with my friends and my brother. Why wouldn't I be grinning?"

"Speaking of Eric, what happened last night?"

"Not much. It was pretty much a bust. He wanted me to listen in on some guy selling beer and such, but the whole thing was bogus. So nothing happened, but I got paid anyway."

"Why would he pay you anyway?"

"I think he wants to keep on my good side in case he needs me again."

Lafayette shuddered in the shade. "I don't know, Sook. I'd stay away from that dead son of a bitch. Y'all can't trust him one damned bit."

"I know. But if he wants my help, he's going to have to behave himself. He can't give me his blood and I don't glamour, so I kind of have him over a barrel if he wants me to do anything."

"I still don't like it. Shit. What if he tries to get to you through your friends or family? He pretty much blackmailed you into going to Dallas in the first place to save Lafayette, " said Tara.

Sookie shifted to get more comfortable in the chaise. "Nope. He tried that already."

Tara swore. "What? When the hell was this?"

"That night he showed up at my place when Bill was in Rome. I told him if he threatened my friends or family again he'd regret it."

"Oh shit, Sookie, don't y'all be telling me that," said Lafayette. "You know them vamps don't give a damn about us breathers."

Tara added, "How'd he react?"

"Well, I told him I'd go to work for the magister to get him to quit bothering me if he tried it again. He doesn't want to risk that. So, all y'all are safe. In fact, he was kind of impressed that I threatened him. He told Bill later that I'd make a good vampire."

"Well, that's one hell of a backhanded compliment."

"Whatever. As long as it works."

Lafayette took the opportunity to ask. "Speaking of Bill, how you holding up, Sook? You OK?"

She looked over at him beneath the umbrella. "I'm fine. Why?"

"Well, y'all never did tell us what happened, and that sure ain't like you. I been worried to death not knowing."

"Yeah," said Tara. "Me too."

"You just want some new gossip, Lafayette."

"Well, yeah, that too. You ever gonna tell us what went on 'tween you two?"

"Probably not."

"You's a bitch, Sookie Stackhouse."

Both Sookie and Tara laughed at him as Jason called out that the food was ready.

...===

Bill arrived in Rome just after dark and got settled into the hotel. Afterward, he sent a quick text to Sookie to let her know he had arrived, then made his way immediately to the Angelicum. Apparently, he was expected. A young man identifying himself as a secretary to the congregation met him at the steps near the front entrance and led him inside.

...===

Fr. Fred waited anxiously. He had moved the meeting to a reception room furnished with a number of armchairs, sofas, and tables. It was larger, and with the number of people meeting in the congregation, he thought the informal setting would be more conducive to their guest's comfort. Some rather hurried research he had assigned to a staff member had revealed that vampires did not touch others in greeting – _remember, don't try to shake his hand..._ They also tended to get agitated when crowded, and he didn't want Brother Bede's friend agitated. Not only would it be ill mannered, but dangerous.

_How does one even begin to discuss these things with a vampire? Lord, help me..._ The responsibility of his duties as head of the congregation weighed upon him. Theology and non-humans – it had never been considered seriously before. He felt his shortcomings keenly.

Members of the congregation were milling about the room in brownian motion, gathering together in small groups, not staying in any particular group for very long. _They're nervous. They've never met a vampire. But then, neither have I._

The only one who seemed completely unconcerned was Brother Bede. In fact, he was fidgeting with excitement and anticipation over the arrival of the vampire, bustling about the room, checking the refreshments, and generally keeping himself busy in an effort to avoid a complete meltdown. Fr. Fred smiled.

The reception room was at the end of a long hall, and the double doors to the room stood open. Fr. Desmaris wanted to know of the vampire's arrival as soon as possible to give himself time to steel himself for the experience. He didn't want to embarrass either the Pope, who had trusted him to lead the congregation, or Brother Bede, who was completely oblivious to the tension building in the room.

The room gradually quieted, and Fr. Fred looked up, joining the others in looking beyond the open doorway. The secretary he had sent to escort their visitor was walking down the hallway accompanied by a tall, dark-haired man, simply dressed.

It was all Fr. Fred could do not to cross himself in fright.

_...death walks our halls..._

After his initial frisson of fear, what struck him most was how this man – _vampire!_– radiated danger. He was amazed that any vampire had been able to remain hidden before The Great Revelation... but this one! He took a deep breath to calm himself. As they neared the doorway, Fr. Fred was struck by the vampire's vivid blue eyes beneath dark brows. They observed everything with an icy coldness that made the priest shudder. _Oh my Lord Jesus... _

...===

Unbeknownst to Fr. Desmaris, Bill himself was dreading this meeting. His enhanced vision had enabled him to see the occupants of the room at a greater distance than they could him. He was well aware of their fear. His sense of smell would have made it obvious even had he been blind. _I hate the smell of fear._ After the war, he had hoped never to smell its reek again, but it was not to be. His turning had made it a permanent part of his existence. He approached the room, pausing just at the doorway. _Well, let's let them get a good look and get it over with..._

...===

The silence of the room caught Brother Bede's attention, and he turned and looked up to see his friend standing at the threshold of the reception hall.

"WILLIAM!"

Bill looked toward the voice to see Brother Bede rapidly approaching him with his arms wide, the scruffy sandals beneath his white habit slapping loudly on the polished floor. Bill braced himself as the monk hugged him, smiling at his enthusiastic welcome and returning his hug.

Fr. Desmaris watched stunned as Brother Bede hurried toward the visitor and greeted him with an enthusiastic embrace. It's wasn't Bede's violation of vampire mores that astonished him – it was the change in the vampire himself. At the monk's welcome, the visitor's eyes seemed suddenly to morph from glacial to warm, and the overwhelming sense of fear that the vampire engendered ebbed. There was more to this dead creature than met the eye. _Lord, thank you for Brother Bede. And forgive me my prejudice._

Bede released Bill just enough to hold him at arm's length. "My word, William! You look just wonderful! How are my friends at Merlotte's? "

"They are all well, Brother. I'm sure they would wish me to give you their regards if they knew I was here."

The monk took Bill by the arm and walked him into the room, completely ignoring the astonishment of the others. "So they still do not know of your engagement?"

"No, not yet. Sookie wants to wait a bit longer, and I agree. I don't think she has given herself enough time to recover from her illness."

"I see. Oh my, my, my. Yes. Yes." He looked thoughtful. "How is your Sookie? It was my understanding that the doctor's therapy had worked well. Have there been complications?"

"No, physically she is fine – very well, in fact. But she was very ill for quite a while, and I think her mind and her emotions need more time to recover."

"Oh dear, I hadn't even thought of that." He patted the vampire's arm. "It's good she has you to look after her, William. Yes, yes, yes."

"Thank you, my friend. She asked me to tell you hello and that she misses you."

Brother Bede's wandering steps had led them to Fr. Desmaris, who had watched the encounter closely. "Brother Bede, would you do me the kindness of introducing me to your friend?" he said.

"Oh! Forgive me, Father! Where are my manners? William, this is the head of the congregation, Fr. Fred Desmaris. Father, allow me to introduce you to Mr. William Compton of Bon Temps, Louisiana, in the United States."

The warmth he had shown when greeted by Brother Bede evaporated from Bill's face, and he acknowledged the priest with a nod.

"Thank you for agreeing to speak with us, Mr. Compton."

"You're welcome. Though, I'm not sure exactly why I am here."

"Forgive me for interrupting, Father," said Brother Bede. "William, that was a long flight. Are you hungry? Can I get you something? We have that synthetic blood..."

Bill smiled at the man. "Thank you, Brother. O-negative would be fine." Brother Bede hurried to the end of the room where the refreshments had been laid out, and Bill watched him.

"Brother Bede is a remarkable man. We are fortunate to have his presence on this committee."

Turning to regard the priest, Bill replied. "I agree with both sentiments."

"Do you understand the purpose of the congregation, Mr. Compton? Why it was formed?"

"Not entirely. From speaking with Brother Bede, I understand it has something to do with theology."

Fr. Fred indicated a pair of over-stuffed chairs flanking a small end table and motioned Bill to sit.

"Well, your request to be married in a Christian ceremony worked its way up the hierarchy and caught the eye of His Holiness. He is frustrated at the lack of progress with the question of salvation in regard to vampires and other sentient non-human beings. He feels the subject has been put off far too long."

"What has this to do with our request for a wedding?"

Brother Bede returned with a warm bottle of blood for the vampire, then sat on a sofa near him and Fr. Fred. Fr. Fred indicated the monk with a gesture of his hand as Bill accepted the bottle and set it on the table.

"As I was telling the brother earlier, marriage follows consent. You and your human fiancée marry by your mutual consent. The priest or deacon serves as official witness of the church in accordance with canon law. That creates a problem."

"In what way?"

"There is no canon law for this situation. Since neither of you are Catholic, canon law doesn't apply to you. But it does apply to us."

"I see."

"Fortunately, Brother Bede is not ordained. If he was, it would be a greater problem. However, I have spoken to his abbot, and to the head of his order. We all feel that he can serve as the celebrant at your wedding with a simple dispensation."

Brother Bede clapped his hands with delight. "Really? You didn't mention it before... oh my!"

Fr. Fred grinned. "I didn't want to get your hopes up, Bede. I had to wait until certain questions about Mr. Compton were answered, and you did that quite well."

"Me? What did I do?"

"You convinced us that your vampire friend here still has his soul."

Bill lifted an eyebrow, and Fr. Desmaris turned to him. "He was very, very convincing, Mr. Compton. And now that I meet you, I believe he was correct."

"So, Sookie and I will be able to have a church wedding?"

"Yes. You can set a date. It's just a matter of getting the paperwork in order, and I believe that will be done in a few days. If I can persuade you to stay until then, you can take it with you when you leave. There will also be paperwork authorizing the local ordinary, that is, the local bishop, to offer you the use of a parish church for your ceremony if you would like."

"Is that the only reason you want me to stay?"

"Frankly, no." The priest stroked his chin and, as he gathered his thoughts, members of the congregation began to move nearer, some of them venturing so far as to sit. "You see, Mr. Compton, it will take years to begin to get this settled. There are so many things we simply do not know about vampires, shape-shifters, werefolk, and the like. We are so ignorant... we can't even ask the proper questions."

Bill nodded, and there were murmurs of agreement from members of the congregation.

"For the past several millennia, our focus has been entirely human centered, to the point that we refer to other members of God's creation as 'non-human.' We could as rightly say 'non-vampire' or 'non-shifter.' We have to learn to think in an entirely different way before we can even begin to tackle the nuances of theology and canon law."

Fr. Nicolaides interjected. "It's equivalent to accepting the idea that the earth is not the center of the universe."

Added Fr. Fred, "Yes, and you know how long it took to accept that. We don't want any more Gallileos suffering because of misplaced pride, but we don't want to jump to conclusions without careful thought, either."

"So what do you require of me?"

"We'd like to get to know you and, if you are willing, answer some basic questions about vampires for us."

"Vampires are as different from one another as humans are. I don't see how I could contribute."

"I understand that. But as different as they are from each other, humans still have some basic things in common, and I would assume that holds true for vampires, as well."

"It does."

"You would be our first step toward understanding other non-humans, Mr. Compton. Perhaps with your help we could learn the right questions to ask."

Bill was silent, pondering Fr. Desmaris' words. Vampires were notoriously secretive, private creatures, and Bill was unwilling to be completely open. Nevertheless, the difference between these people and members of other churches he had encountered was remarkable. Acceptance by such a large institution as the Roman Catholic Church could make things easier for all vampires, not to mention other supernatural beings. There was also Sookie to be considered. It would make her marriage to a vampire somewhat easier if at least one Christian denomination accepted it.

"You realize that other Christian churches will be against acceptance of non-humans. Particularly some of the more fundamentalist sects." Bill's thoughts turned to the Fellowship of the Sun.

"It won't be the first time the Church was out of step with the world, Mr. Compton, and it won't be the last." Fr. Desmaris sighed. "We must do what is right, and go where the Lord leads us. We are commanded to do so, no matter how difficult the way may be. Will you help us take that first step?"

Bill paused before answering.

"Yes."


	56. Chapter 56

Chapter 56

It was well after midnight, and a breeze blew softly through the Roman streets. Though there were a number of people about enjoying the fine weather, they were few compared with earlier in the evening. The reception at the Angelicum was over, and Bill sat with Brother Bede. They had adjourned to the café where they had first met, Bill with a warm bottle of blood and the monk with a glass of red wine. Brother Bede was more animated than usual and had barely touched his drink, much to the vampire's amusement.

"I just am so thrilled, William! I'm not even a priest. I still can't believe I will be the celebrant at your and Sookie's wedding... I am overwhelmed, completely... oh my, my..."

Bill commented, "I'm not surprised in the least, Brother."

He looked at him. "Really?"

"Really. You're very persuasive."

"You must be thinking of someone else. I'm nobody. A mere file clerk, and I'm not even that any more."

"Brother, you are much more than that. I don't believe Sookie and I would be together without you. She might not even be alive if you hadn't helped us."

"You give me too much credit."

"I doubt that."

Uncomfortable with the praise, Brother Bede changed the subject. "Have you phoned Sookie about the decision to allow the wedding?"

"No. I'd like to tell her in person. I don't want to miss her reaction."

"I should say not."

"Brother, do you know about Adele, Sookie's grandmother?"

"Oh my, yes. Yes I do. Sookie told me about her, and how she died. I was so sorry to hear about it."

"I was fortunate enough to meet her. I didn't know her very well, but she was a lovely woman, full of warmth."

"I believe it. You can see that in Sookie, as well."

"It was her grandmother's hope that Sookie be married in church."

"I had no idea. I'm very glad that the Lord made it possible."

"When I originally asked you to help me arrange a church wedding, it was for Sookie and her grandmother. It's important to me to honor Adele's memory. Since then, I've come to share Adele's opinion. I don't think I would feel properly married without it, either."

"I understand how difficult it's been for you since you were turned, William." He reached over and patted Bill's hand. "I hope someday that you and the Lord are reconciled, my friend."

"I do not think that will happen, but I will remain open to the possibility."

"That's more than enough for me." Bede took a sip of his wine. "When will you be returning to Bon Temps?"

"Fr. Desmaris said the paperwork will be ready the day after tomorrow. I've booked a flight home for the day following that. Counting the 16 hours of flight time, I should be back home in four days. Certainly no later."

"I still cannot believe it. Oh my, my. I wish I could be there with you when you give Sookie the news."

"As do I. But it seems you will be busy making preparations of your own."

Brother Bede was taken completely aback as the realization of his duties hit him, and the look on his faced prompted a laugh from the vampire. "Oh Lord, I forgot about that! I have no idea how to even prepare for the ceremony! Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! I don't even know the rite!"

"Perhaps Fr. Desmaris can help you."

"Yes, yes... I will ask him. He'll know what to do."

"You should bring him along to the wedding. I'm sure his presence will be reassuring."

"Oh it would, yes, yes,... indeed, it would. I would feel much more confident if he were there. I don't want to do anything to ruin your ceremony. Would you mind terribly?"

"I'll make sure he gets an invitation. Is there anyone else you'd like there?"

"Me? Me? Oh my, my... yes. Yes. Fr. Dagobert, from the monastery in Metairie. He was very helpful, you know."

"In what way, Brother?"

"Well, besides giving me a place to stay and putting up with me in general, he was instrumental in helping me discern the Lord's will. He actually shooed me out of the monastery to visit you. That's how I arrived at your house that night you were so despondent."

"Then by all means, he should be invited, as well." Bill smiled and shook his head. "It seems there will be more members of the groom's wedding party than I had anticipated."

"Really? That surprises me. I can't imagine you'd have any trouble making friends."

"Friendships die when a human is turned, Brother. Vampires make allies, not friends, and humans fear us."

"It sounds terribly isolating. "

"It is. Perhaps that's why vampires expend so much effort in snuffing out any remaining human emotion once they're turned, and look upon such feelings as a weakness."

"Do vampires have no close relationships at all?"

"Only with their progeny. And sometimes not even then." Bill's thoughts turned to Lorena.

Bede was silent for a moment, considering what Bill had said. "I think I understand you better, William. No wonder you cherish Sookie as you do. Your life must have been remarkably lonely until you met her. Your relationship is such a blessing. My, my, my. I think the Lord must love you both very much to bring you together."

Bill looked at the monk. "Perhaps. But it seems a strange way to go about it – using someone as despicable as the queen and my maker to accomplish it."

Grinning, Bede again patted Bill's arm. "I told you before, my friend, the Lord is not wasteful. He can make use of anyone."

The vampire nodded in acknowledgment.

...

Fangtasia was ridiculously busy, and the line out front was three abreast. Eric would have been pleased if he hadn't had other things on his mind at the moment. Everything was complicated, and it would be a tricky job to keep from getting caught up in one oncoming disaster or another. He was unexpectedly grateful for Sookie's help. Gratitude was something he hadn't experienced in centuries, and he didn't like the feeling at all. Nevertheless, the three thousand dollars he had paid her was money well spent, and he was surprised that her advice – human advice, no less – had been helpful. He would do what it took to keep in her good graces. Her telepathy was quite an asset and he was determined to take full advantage of it. Especially now.

The noise from the bar intruded as Pam entered in response to her maker's summons, and it fell to an indeterminate hum as she closed the heavy door behind her. She could see worry in her maker's expression, though his control was excellent and would have escaped notice by anyone other than his progeny. She sat across from his desk, smoothing her tight leather skirt as she did so. She waited.

"Pam, we have a problem."

"I thought you'd settled things with the Liquor Commission."

"I have. Sookie's suggestion made it simple. They not only were pleased by my contacting them, they lauded me for my 'civic responsibility.' " He made an expression of distaste.

"Then what's wrong?"

"Sookie was unable to find a flaw in the human's thoughts until the very end of our negotiations. Until then, he seemed to be entirely what he claimed to be. That's not possible. Humans don't have that kind of control."

"I agree. So, how did he manage it?"

Eric rose from his desk and paced the office. It was another sign of worry, one not usual for her maker, and it alarmed Pam. She waited quietly for him to speak.

"I've learned that the human was glamoured, and by a vampire who is very skilled."

"Glamoured? They would have to be extremely skillful to keep a human under that kind of control without the glamour being obvious. Do you know who it was?"

He turned to her and stopped his pacing. "No. Not yet. And I had to call in a lot of favors to find out that much."

"Could it be Compton?"

"No."

"He's good enough. Few vampires can match him. He could have done it easily."

"Yes. But as you've said, he has no ambition. And he wouldn't have put his human in jeopardy in any case."

"What can I do?"

"Keep you ears and eyes open, Pam, and your mouth closed. I don't want this to go further than the two of us. Until I know more, we have to be careful. Somebody's making a move on me and my business, and it's better if they think I know nothing at all. As it is, we know damned little."

"Agreed."

...

Sookie was sitting on the bole of a tree outside Merlotte's, taking a break, when Tara joined her, plopping down next to her with a sigh.

"Damn Sookie. Where'd all these rednecks come from this week?"

"I don't know, but I've been hoppin' like a frog on hot pavement for the last couple of days. It's sure been busy."

"Sam's been in a state. Usually, he likes it when business is good, but he's been in grumpy as hell."

"He's been wanting to take Liz out, but he can't really leave the bar. It doesn't really matter though. Last I heard from her, she's been working her tail off at the hospital so they've both been too busy to get together."

"How's that goin', anyway, now that she knows about Sam?"

"Fine. I think their biggest problem is their schedules and them being in two different towns." She paused, stretching her legs out in front of her to work out the kinks. "How about you? How was your date with Joey the other night?"

Tara was silent.

"Tara?"

"I don't know...'

"What d'you mean, you don't know? Did all y'all go anywhere?"

"Well, he took me out for dinner to the Waterfront Grille."

"In Monroe? Wow. That's a really nice place."

" The food was good."

"He takes you to the Grille and all you can say is, 'the food was good?' "

"Well, we went clubbing and dancing after dinner"

"You like to dance. Is he any good?"

"Yeah, yeah he is."

"So what's the problem?"

"Sook, I think he likes me... a lot."

Sookie laughed. "You say it like it's a bad thing."

"I hardly know the man."

"So take some time and get to know him."

"I don't know if it's worth the effort. I mean, it's not like it can go anywhere."

"Why?"

"He's so _white._"

"Tara Thornton, I'm surprised at you. You're a bigot."

"No, not like that. It's not that he's just white on the outside, he's white all the way through."

"Huh?"

"We're like from two different worlds. Our backgrounds are so different. I mean, we don't have the same upbringing. He's from a nice, respectable family – but my momma's a drunk and Lafayette is flaming queer. He's a doctor, and I never even went to college. He's involved with all that supernatural shit, and you know how I feel about that. We don't even know the same music."

"Oh."

"I don't know whether to see him again or not."

"Y'know, before she died, Gran told me that if she had a chance to know somebody who'd experienced life differently, it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing."

"Maybe."

"Tara, don't give up on this too fast. This might be just the guy for you. I mean, how often do you meet somebody who thinks your abrasive personality is cute?" Sookie stood and dusted off the back of her shorts. "I gotta get back to those rednecks. You going to be OK?"

"Yeah, I guess. Tell Sam I'll be there in a minute."

"All right." Sookie paused and looked at her friend before returning to the bar.

...

Tapping her perfectly manicured nails impatiently on the arm of the chair, the Queen of Louisiana watched as her day man approached with Karl, her second in command. She was pissed, and everybody in her entourage knew it, from the lowest worker in the laundry to the aides in her administrative staff. Karl knew it, and he was dreading this meeting with Sophie-Ann. She'd be expecting a damned good explanation for his failure. No matter how well he had served her over the decades, she wouldn't just replace him – she'd stake him without thinking twice.

Escorting him into the queen's faux solarium, the day man bowed to his queen. As he left, he gathered the queen's entourage with a nod and they followed him out, each member giving silent thanks that they weren't the object of her ire.

Waiting only for the last of her staff to leave, Sophie-Ann glared at Karl. He stood unflinchingly before her, knowing better than to show any weakness.

"Well?"

"Majesty?"

"I'm waiting for an explanation for your fuckup. What the _**hell**_ went wrong? Northman should be up to his ears in shit by now, paying lawyers through the nose."

"There were some unexpected developments. He didn't take the bait."

"And why the hell not? You assured me that the setup was perfect." She glowered at him.

"There were some unexpected developments at the meeting."

In the blink of an eye, she stood before him, glaring, her voice bitter. "Don't play games, Karl. Don't make me pull it out of you. I want an explanation and I want it _**now**_."

Karl sighed. She was angrier than he had ever seen her. He had no expectation of surviving this meeting. He began, "Roberts was properly glamoured before the meeting. We had our best team work on him. There should have been no slip-ups." Sophie-Ann hadn't moved. "The meeting was arranged. When Roberts arrived, there were three others there."

"He was supposed to meet him alone!"

"Yes, your majesty. That's what was agreed upon. But Northman had others there."

"Who?"

"His progeny, a human, and another vampire."

"Pam wouldn't have made a difference. Who were the others?"

"The vampire gave his name as Compton. The human female wasn't introduced."

"Compton... "

At the mention of the name, her expression became even angrier. Karl hadn't thought that was possible.

Sophie-Ann was livid. _He's supposed to be arranging the delivery of the Stackhouse girl to me... _A thought intruded. "What did the human look like?

"Young, blonde. Robert's didn't pay much attention to her. She was insignificant."

Sophie-Ann turned from him abruptly and began to pace. Compton had delayed his delivery of the female for months now, claiming she'd been ill. She hadn't taken his word for it – she'd had his story checked out. Apparently, the human female had, indeed, been very ill and had nearly died... whatever. She had to deal with the problem in front of her at the moment. Karl might still be useful, in spite of his failure. She'd consider staking him later.

Her decision made, she turned to him. "Find another way to get that bar away from Northman. The IRS is breathing down my neck and that place is a gold mine. And do it fast." She watched as Karl nodded his acknowledgment and left, then turned her attention to Compton. Picking up her phone from a nearby table, she placed a call.

"I have a job for you."

...

Bill paused as he unpacked after arriving home, picking up the envelop he had received from Fr. Desmaris in Rome. He resisted the temptation to open it; he had done so numerous times already and knew its contents by heart. If he closed his eyes, he could see each and every document. True to his word, the priest had delivered the all the paperwork needed to allow Bill and Sookie to be married. It would be a valid marriage, though not a sacramental one since neither he nor his fiancée were Catholic, but that was fine with Bill. Sookie would get her church wedding, and Adele's memory would be honored. Brother Bede would preside as the celebrant and official witness, which would delight Sookie as much as it did the monk.

He smiled to himself. When the news got out, as it inevitably would, it was bound to cause an uproar. Especially for the likes of Steve Newlin and the Fellowship of the Sun. It was unintended, but being a thorn in their sides was particularly satisfying to Bill after what they had done to Sookie.

As the airline had delivered Bill home in a travel coffin, the night now was no more than an hour old. He grabbed his keys and headed out to Shreveport. He had called Mr. Johnson from Rome to check on the progress of the rings, and had been asked to come by the store to see the design and give his final approval before the mounting was cast. They had arranged to meet the very night of his arrival home. Bill was curious to see how the brothers had put together the elements he had specified for Sookie's ring.

...

Arriving in Shreveport in good time, Bill pulled into the lot of the jewelry store. As he exited the car, he found the same young man waiting for him. Mr. Johnson had spoken of his son following their last meeting. Recalling his name, he greeted him. "Jimmy, isn't it?"

Surprised that a vampire knew his name, and just a little unsettled that _this_ vampire knew it, Jimmy unlocked the door and opened it. "Yes sir. How'd you know my name?"

"Your father mentioned it the last time we met." Bill paused at the door. "He's quite proud of you."

"Really? He never says much."

Bill thought back to his human childhood. "Fathers seldom do. At least to their sons."

Jimmy nodded, then followed him into the store, locking the door behind him. "Dad, your customer's here!" he hollered. Curious, and with nothing better to do that night, Jimmy sat behind the counter and made himself inconspicuous. He'd never been this close to a vampire, and certainly had never spoken with one before. He wanted to watch his dad deal with him. The vampire still scared the willies out of him, and he didn't understand it. His conversation had been as mundane as it could be, but there was just something about him that put his stomach in knots.

Mr. Johnson came from the workshop in the back with a notebook in his hands and a small parcel. "Mr. Compton."

"Mr. Johnson."

The jeweler was all smiles as he placed the parcel on the counter and opened the notebook. "We have your design here. And the stones arrived today, quite unexpectedly. If they meet your needs, we may be able to begin work on your pieces much sooner than we thought."

"Assuming I approve the design."

"Of course. But I think you will be pleased. If I may say so myself, Martin and Abel have been quite excited about these pieces. They usually aren't given as much artistic license as you allowed them." He opened Martin's design book to the proper page and placed it on the counter, turning it around for Bill's perusal.

Bill looked at the sketches. Turning the pages slowly, he went through them one by one and was more and more pleased. The brothers Fleury had done a fine job. The monogram was exactly what he had hoped for, and the design they had drawn for the opposite side of the gallery perfectly captured both him and Sookie. He questioned Orville about the colors in the sketches.

"Well, Mr. Compton, you did specify gold, but Marty and Abe thought that colored gold would suit the design, so they incorporated it. As you can see, the rings would be cast in rose gold with your initial in white gold and your fiancée's in yellow. They've carried the colors through to the other side of the ring, as well."

Bill nodded.

"If you are through with the sketches, I would be happy to show you the stones." He reached under the counter and pulled out two jewelry boards, one covered in white velvet and the other in black. Bill watched as he opened the parcel of white paper. Inside were two smaller parcels of folded white paper. He opened the first one and poured out the stones onto the white velvet board. Reaching into his shirt pocket, he took out a loupe and a pair of jewelry tweezers and arranged the diamonds carefully by size and color.

"What are these, Mr. Johnson?"

"These are baguette diamonds."

Bill raised an eyebrow, the question evident in his expression.

"Martin and Abel thought that these would better suit your design than white diamonds. These are from Australia. The darker, larger ones are cognac diamonds, and the smaller ones are champagne. Let me show you." Moving them around on the board, he placed the stones sideways in order from larger to smaller and dark to light. "You see, these will run along the shank of the ring, from the center stone down, graduated in size and color, an ombre from dark to light. They are of fine quality, which is rather difficult to come by in colored diamonds." He handed the loupe to the vampire and picked up a stone, locking it into the tweezers and handing it to the vampire. "Please examine them yourself."

When Bill had specified diamonds for Sookie's ring, he had assumed they would be white. He was aware of the existence of colored diamonds, but he had never seen gems of this color. _But then, I'm not in the habit of buying jewelry_. Withholding his reservations, he carefully examined the stones. They certainly were as fine as Mr. Johnson had said. But he couldn't quite get past the color. _They're brown._ He looked at them arranged on the jewelry board, and an old memory from his human life resurfaced. _The darker ones are definitely well named. They're exactly the color of a good whiskey..._ As he studied them, his perception suddenly shifted and he began to appreciate the color. The smaller, lighter stones had a slightly golden hue, and he could see touches of mahogany in the darker ones. His lip rose at one corner in the smallest of smiles, and he remarked, "They look like the sun rising in a dark night...or a sunset."

"Yes. Exactly. I must tell you, Mr. Compton, that Abel was insistent that I not mention that. He wanted to be sure you saw his intention in choosing these. He wanted to make sure you 'got it' as he put it."

"I certainly do. I would say they are entirely appropriate."

"Then I can tell him you approve?"

"Absolutely."

"Would you care to see the center stones?" he said, replacing the diamonds in the paper and wrapping them neatly.

Bill nodded, and the jeweler carefully opened the second parcel, revealing three pairs of matching stones. Each pair was identical in cut and color, differing only in size to fit the groom's ring and the bride's. Out of the three, one set caught his eye. They were exactly the color he'd been wanting. He indicated them with a gesture. "These, Mr. Johnson."

The man smiled. "Oh, good. I was hoping that we could find the color you wanted."

"The others are close, but not quite right. What kind of gems are these?"

"Well, the ones you didn't like are spinels and rubies. But these... these are garnets. Specifically, pyropes. It's not really surprising that the color you wanted would be found in a garnet. They come in almost every color, from yellow and green to a red that's nearly black. There are even garnets that change color." Nodding, he removed the gems from the parcel with tweezers and placed them on each board in turn while Bill studied them. Under the lights, they revealed their colors; a deep red-brown with glints of purple against the white velvet. On the black, the stones were nearly invisible, betraying their presence only by occasional flares of rich blood-red from within the facets.

Without realizing it, Bill smiled widely. _They're perfect._ He asked the price of the stones and, when he was given the number, a look of dismay replaced the smile.

"What's wrong, Mr. Compton?" asked Orville.

"I didn't expect them to be so... so... inexpensive."

Grinning, Mr. Johnson replied. "I see. You don't want your fiancée to think you're cheap." Bill looked up from the gems and into the man's face. "I run into that quite often with garnets. They are beautiful gems, truly, but often overlooked and neglected simply because they are so readily available." He shook his head. "It's a shame, really."

Bill considered what to do. True, the other stones were more valuable, but they were inadequate. It was the color that mattered, after all, and what it symbolized. In his day, gemstones as well as flowers had a vocabulary of their own. He searched his memory for the meaning behind a gift of garnets, and when it finally came to him, he nearly laughed aloud.

"No, Mr. Johnson. The garnets are perfect. And the colored diamonds will compliment them perfectly. I'll take them, and you may start on the rings. But, as you say, I don't want my fiancée to think I'm niggardly* and, as I have yet to purchase a wedding gift for her, I shall just have to find her something. Perhaps you have some ideas?"

The jeweler nodded and carefully repackaged the stones and took them into the work room. When he returned, he began to make suggestions for a gift for the vampire's bride, and Bill spent a pleasant half hour indulging himself in spoiling her.

...

*No, it doesn't mean what you think. An archaic word from about the mid 1300s, probably from old Swedish _nygg_. It means stingy, miserly, parsimonious. It's a great old word and one I think Bill would have been familiar with in his human life.


	57. Chapter 57

Chapter 57

Bill was pleased as he left the jeweler's. The design of the rings was more than he had hoped for, and his gift for his bride was sure to delight her. He had just enough time before sunup to make one more stop in Shreveport, and then it was back home to escape the daylight.

He eagerly anticipated seeing Sookie the next evening. She was unaware of his return home. He had deliberately allowed her to think he was still in Rome. Besides the rings, he had other, unavoidable business to attend to and he didn't want to worry her unnecessarily. He also wanted a little time to gather his thoughts before telling her that the wedding ceremony had been approved and needed only for her to choose a date and a location.

He was still trying to accept what had happened. Of all the churches in the world, the last one he thought would accommodate a vampire-human wedding was the Catholic church. In his human life, he'd known nothing about Catholics except that they had not been well thought of by his neighbors. As a vampire, he'd learned about the history of vampires and the church but given God no thought at all. The events in Rome and his friendship with Brother Bede had him rethinking everything.

Perhaps Brother Bede had been right about another thing, as well. Perhaps God was using him and his human for a larger purpose. Fr. Desmaris and the majority of his colleagues had been persuaded that at least one vampire still was in possession of his soul. And if one, why not others? Bill shook his head as he drove through the dark streets, imagining the eventual consequences of his meeting in Rome.

_Sooner of later, they will make a public statement,_ he thought, _and then all hell will break loose. It's sure to trigger upheaval. Some will accept it. Some will be bewildered, others unconcerned._ He thought of the Fellowship of the Sun. _And others will be outraged. There will be violence._

If they could survive the announcement and its results, vampire rights could make a great strides not only in the United States but world wide. It could affect other nonhumans, as well – shifters, werefolk. _Perhaps Sam could live openly someday, and others like him._

Though the congregation had accepted the argument that Bill still had his soul – something Bill himself still doubted – the fact that the wedding itself had been approved so readily was completely unexpected. Brother Bede had had no doubts about it, but even he was surprised that the necessary permissions had been obtained so quickly. Bill had been unsure of Fr. Desmaris' opinion until he had spoken to him in Rome. According to Brother Bede, the priest had given no hint either way until then. However, during his visit it had been quite obvious that the wedding had been disapproved of by every other member of the committee. Bill still wasn't sure how it had happened over their objections. He was unfamiliar with the inner workings of the Church

Arriving at his destination, Bill pulled into the parking lot of the medical complex, shutting off the engine and locking the car as he got out. Looking up at the three-story building, he noted one office lit up on the top floor. _That's the place._

Bill approached the automatic doors and they slid open, unlocked at this late hour. Ignoring the elevator, he entered the stairwell next to it and climbed the stairs, vampire speed proving quicker than Mr. Otis' device. On the third floor, he found the proper office and entered.

...

Sookie gave up. It was no use trying to sleep. She was uncomfortable. She was horny as hell and missed Bill. She couldn't even call Tara to commiserate – she and the rest of Bon Temps thought she was no longer dating the dead man. _God, what the heck is wrong with me?_ The feeling of being watched, which had ebbed for months, had resurfaced, making her skin crawl and adding to her general discomfort.

She threw off the bedclothes with an exasperated huff and got out of bed, pacing her room in the dark and pushing her tangled hair from her face. She hugged herself, trying to get a handle on what was wrong. She had received a text from Bill just that morning letting her know that his business in Rome was nearly complete and that he would be home soon. Tomorrow would mark a full week that the vampire had been gone. Sookie ached. All she could think of was the weight of Bill's body pinning her to the mattress, her arms wrapped around him and the taste of his kiss. _You're losing it, Stackhouse. _

With a frustrated grumble, Sookie walked out of her bedroom, pulling off her nightgown and flinging it from her. She walked naked to the bathroom and turned on the light, completely oblivious to the pink satin fluttering over the railing and settling to the floor downstairs. She yanked the shower curtain closed and turned on the cold tap, not even bothering to adjust the spray, and stepped in. The house rang with a shriek as the icy water hit her body. She forced herself to remain beneath the cold jets, her teeth chattering, goosebumps brailling her skin, and waiting for the frigid liquid to cool the heat between her legs.

...

Bill entered the small reception area and looked about. It was furnished with a few comfortable chairs, some potted plants, and the obligatory rack of outdated magazines. There was nothing remarkable about it, but he studied it all. After his turning, he had never been ill again and so he had never been in a modern physician's waiting room. The experience was a novel one, and noticing the dates on the magazines he now understood the punchlines to several old jokes he never been able to make sense of.

"Mr. Compton." Joey came from a side door to welcome him.

"Dr. Ludwig."

"Come on back to my office. We can talk there."

Joey led Bill down a short hallway to his office, passing an open examination room and a small lab. Entering the office, Dr. Ludwig gestured to a leather sofa along one wall and sat down in a matching armchair. It was a large room, dimly lit by a single reading lamp. A bookcase filled the wall opposite the sofa, and beneath the office window was a desk containing paperwork and an open laptop. The blinds were open to the night, giving a view of the city of Shreveport and its lights.

Bill looked above the sofa and asked, "Is that...?"

Joey grinned. "Yep. That's Maggie."

A large oil painting took up most of the wall above the sofa. It was lit by a single light focused on it from the ceiling and showed the elder Dr. Ludwig as a young woman, her head up, her face revealing a full-throated laugh and twinkling eyes. "I wasn't aware she knew how to smile, much less laugh. I don't recall ever seeing her do it."

"Mags is full of surprises. That painting was done by my brother."

Bill nodded. "He was a fine artist."

"He was. He did that portrait shortly before they were married. It was his gift to her... along with the down payment on a house to put it in. After Matt died, well, she just couldn't bear to have it around."

The vampire caught himself smiling at the portrait, unwittingly affected by the subject, then sat down on the sofa beneath it.

Dr. Ludwig wasted no time. "So, when you called you said you were still experiencing changes. Have they continued?" Bill nodded. "It makes sense. Your senses will continue to become more acute and the venom will become more concentrated as time goes on. The process is likely to continue for some time, gradually slowing down until it reaches stasis. "

"Do you have any idea when that may happen?"

"I have no idea. It could be months or years. It could be finished in a week. This is a rare phenomenon, Mr. Compton. There are really no guidelines for it. There are legends of one, perhaps two other vampires with venom, but even those stories are fragmentary. They are so old that we really don't know how much, if any, of the stories is based on fact. In fact, I didn't believe they had any truth in them at all until Maggie told me about you."

"Does anyone else know about my...condition?"

"Aside from those of us present at your house that night, there is no one else that I am aware of. Certainly, I haven't discussed it with anyone except for Maggie, and then only when necessary... and you, of course, tonight."

Bill nodded, thoughtful.

"Even my notes are coded and secured." Joey leaned forward in the chair, elbows on knees and hands open in entreaty. "I know this is difficult, Mr. Compton, and you want to keep this quiet. Believe me, Margaret and I agree with you. If this were to become generally known to the public, or even just to the vampire community, it would be disastrous."

"It would. In spite of the propaganda put out by the Authority, the state of affairs is too unsettled. There are too many vampires who are adamant in their disapproval of coexisting with humans. They are angry about the Revelation and they want a return to the old ways, with humans as nothing more than food. All this," Bill indicated himself with a gesture, "would disrupt an already precarious situation."

The healer and the vampire sat in silence for a few moments, considering the matter.

"I'm sorry I can't give you a more definitive answer about your condition, Mr. Compton. Is there anything else I can do?"

"There is. I need to know if the stronger venom will affect Sookie. I don't want to put her in any danger."

"Well, at least I can put your mind at ease there. As you both were informed earlier, Ms. Stackhouse is part of this. Something in her physiology triggered these changes, and I remain convinced that she is completely immune. In fact, she's allowing me to continue to study her blood."

Bill raised an eyebrow in inquiry. "Is she at risk of her illness returning?"

"No, the blood replacement was definitive. She's fine. But as I said, there are some odd things going on in her physiology, and she's allowing me to use her as a guinea pig. Perhaps something I learn from her will help me understand what happened to you."

The vampire stood, and Joey rose as well. "I hope this has been some help you, Mr. Compton."

"It has. As long as Sookie is safe, I can tolerate the changes."

"I'll let you know if I discover anything."

"Do that. But in that event, I would prefer we discuss it face to face."

"Agreed. My office is safe enough, but I don't trust phones or computers. It seems like any kid on the block can hack into the damned things.'

"Good night, Dr. Ludwig."

"Mr. Compton."

...

"I don't understand it, Fred. How in the world were they given the go-ahead to marry in the Catholic Church? They're not Catholic. Hell, he's not even alive, even if he has a soul."

"Look Rocky, you're the one who put me in charge of this thing. Trust me, the permissions are valid."

Msgr. Bedros Lavrentios paced the parking lot behind the Angelicum while Fr. Desmaris leaned against the wall, calmly puffing on a cigarette. "Do you have any idea how many complaints I'm getting from members of your congregation?"

"Exactly? No, but I imagine there are a number of them."

The priest stopped his pacing abruptly and turned to Fr. Fred, reaching out. "Oh hell, give me a puff on that thing, will you?"

Fred handed him the cigarette. "I thought you didn't smoke any more."

"I don't. Gave the things up in the seminary 40 years ago. I never did get over the craving, though." He took a deep drag.

"When was the last time you had a cigarette?"

"Like I said, 40 years ago, in the seminary."

"You must be stressed."

"You think? Except for you and Bede, every single member of the congregation has come to me questioning the reasons behind this. Bede I can understand... he seems to be besotted with the two of them. But I don't understand why I haven't heard from you. Who the hell fast-tracked this thing?"

"His nibs."

"His Holiness? Are you kidding me?"

"I don't kid about such things, Rocky. Especially to someone in your position. It would be cruel – too much like pulling the wings off flies." The monsignor was silent, and Fr. Fred took the opportunity to continue. "And don't discount Bede. He's not the idiot you think he is... or even that he thinks he is. He's on this congregation for a reason."

"I don't know what."

"I didn't either. Did I tell you that I thought he'd been assigned to me as some sort of penance? Believe me, I thought he was an idiot when I first met him, too. But the man has something. I've seen him in action. His comments have a way of putting things into perspective."

"I met him the day I told him he was relieved of his duties at the archives. I didn't think much of him then, and I'm not sure I do now."

"How do you think we were able to come to the conclusion that Mr. Compton still has a soul? Have you thought about it?"

"I've read your reports... two of which I'm still waiting on, by the way... It was damned fast, but the congregation seemed to have the theology to back up the decision."

"The theology came by way of Brother Bede."

"Oh, now that I just can't believe."

"Believe it. The formal language came through the congregation, but the pith of the argument was Bede's."

"How did that happen?"

Fr. Fred dug in his pockets for his lighter and lit another cigarette since the monsignor showed no signs of relinquishing the first one. As he took a puff, he said, "He asked a question. One question. It was enough."

"I hope it will be enough at the next meeting of the congregation. This thing has stirred up a hornet's nest. My secretary hasn't been this pissed since Vatican II."

"Have some faith. The Lord knows what he is doing." He paused.. "One of my students told me once that there is no point in arguing with God. He's bigger than we are."

"Surrender, right?"

Well, the phrase she used was "Just cave."

Snorting with laughter, the monsignor ground out his cigarette on the pavement, slapped the priest on the shoulder and left, his mood considerably lightened.

...

Jimmy pulled into the parking lot, and Shabazz leaned between him and Dwayne over the back seat to peer through the windshield. "Is this the place, Jimmy?"

Jimmy checked the address on the Post-It note his dad had given him. "Yeah, this is the place. Merlotte's."

"Are you sure we can go in here? It's a bar, and we're under age. If I get caught, Mom will open a can of whoop-ass on me and then beat me with the case it came in."

Dwayne turned to his cousin. "It's fine 'Baz. It's a restaurant, too. We can go in, just can't drink."

"Oh. OK then."

Jimmy got out of the car, accompanied by his friends. "Why'd you want us to come along, anyway?" asked Dwayne.

"I told you. It's that spooky vamp that's been coming to see my dad. I'm supposed to deliver something and I just didn't want to do it alone. The guy gives me the creeps."

"Just drop it off. You can leave a note if you have to."

"No go. Dad told me I have to deliver it personally, and I can't mention who it's from. It's some kind of surprise or something."

"So what," asked Shabazz, "your dad gonna ground you or give you a whipping or something?"

"Nah, it's not him. The vampire's the one who told me how he wants it done, and he's one guy I sure don't want to cross."

Dwayne gave his friend a shove. "Man, you're turning into a real wuss, you know that?"

"Yeah, well, that's real easy for you to say. You ain't never seen the guy."

...

Arlene spotted the three teenagers as they walked in. She grabbed some of menus and greeted them.

"Howdy. Welcome to Merlotte's."

Jimmy looked at the red-headed waitress. "Are you Sookie Stackhouse?"

Surprised, Arlene said, "No darlin.' I'm Arlene."

"Oh."

"Well don't look so disappointed. You'll give a girl a complex."

Jimmy blushed. "Sorry. I'm supposed to ask for Ms. Stackhouse. Is she working tonight?"

"Her shift doesn't start for about 45 minutes yet. She should be here in about half an hour or so. Y'all want to wait?"

"Yeah, I'd better."

"Well good. Let me get you fellas a table. Ain't no law says you can't have something to eat while you wait." She seated the boys in a booth and handed them menus. "I'll be back in a minute to take your order.'

...

Sookie came in through the back and dropped her purse off in Sam's office. Grabbing a clean apron and a new order pad, she made her way toward the kitchen, meeting Tara in the service area.

"Hey Sook."

"Hey Tara," she said as she began her prep.

"You OK? You don't look so good."

Yeah, I'm fine. I just couldn't get to sleep last night, so I'm a little tired."

Lafayette put an order up on the pass. "You's ain't tired, hooker. You just need to get laid."

"Lafayette!"

"How long's it been since you broke up with that fine-ass vampire, huh? Months, right? You been getting any?"

Tara scolded him. "That ain't none of your damned business, you nosy bitch. You leave Sookie alone."

"I'ma just saying. She's all tense. She needs a little exercise, and I'm not talking about a gym." He waved his spatula at her. "Y'all need to go find yourself some hot little boy toy and have some fun, Sooks."

"Oh, I'm not into anything like that."

"Hell, girl, I ain't talkin' about no relationship. I'm just talkin' about a little physical therapy to relieve the stress. Unknot those muscles some."

Tara grabbed a pickle slice from the plate on the pass and threw it at her cousin. "She ain't a cheap slut like you, Lafayette."

Lafayette batted his lashes. "Ain't nothing cheap about me, girlfriend."

"Ain't you got something burning back there?"

"Oh shit..." He turned and hurried back to the stove, swearing.

Taking Sookie by the arm, Tara guided her back through the hall to the ice machine. "Don't y'all tell him I said so, but maybe he's right. Maybe you just need a little recreational sex."

"No, that's not for me. I'm not that kind of person. I just can't jump into bed with some stranger."

"Look, I know you don't want to talk about it, and I'm not asking. But the last couple days you haven't been handling things as well as you were. I worry about you, y'know?"

"I know. I just need a decent night's sleep, that's all."

"Well, if there's anything I can do, y'all let me know, OK? Maybe we just need a girl's night or something."

"I will Tara. I promise."

Arlene walked back to the pass to pick up her order. "Lafayette, where's the pickle for this sandwich?" She turned to Sookie and Tara. "Sookie, there're some kids at table six waiting for you."

Perplexed, she said, "For me? Who?"

"Don't know. They came in about an hour ago asking for you, and they've been waiting for you since." She turned and hollered, "Lafayette, where's the damned pickle!"

"Hold your horses, Arlene." Lafayette brought up another order along with a pickle that he placed on her plate with a flourish. "Here you are, Miss Arlene."

Smiling at the banter between Arlene and Lafayette, Sookie said to Tara, "I guess I'd better go see what they want."

...

Fr. Fred calmed the voices at the table with a hand. As he waited for the din to die down, he looked down the table at Brother Bede, the only one there who had remained silent, and sighed with exasperation. "I understand your concerns. But we won't get anywhere with everyone talking at once!" He turned to the canon lawyer. "Mr. Sutherland, why don't you state some of the objections, and we will take them one at a time."

He nodded.

"But before we begin, I must tell you. The permissions have been granted. Nothing we do here will change that. I am not at liberty to tell you more than that at the moment."

"Then why are we wasting time here?" asked Dr. Ramirez. "I have better things to do than sit as a member of a congregation that serves no purpose!"

"Believe me, doctor, we do serve a purpose here. Once it had been established that this particular vampire had a soul, the wedding was authorized."

"But how can that be, Father? They are not Catholic."

"The rite to be used will be a simple one. There will be no mass. The celebrant is not an ordained priest, or even a deacon. There will be no illusion that they are in communion with the Church. Nevertheless, it will be a Christian ceremony between two baptized adults."

Another voice spoke from the far end of the table. "We don't even know if his baptism was valid, or if it still holds after death."

"There is nothing in scripture, tradition, or the magisterium that puts a limit on the sacraments. They don't 'wear off.' Brother Bede has heard Mr. Compton's account of his baptism as a boy, and it appears by all the evidence to be valid."

"There are no records?"

"For Ms. Stackhouse, there are. For Mr. Compton – no. His records and the church that held them were destroyed during the American Civil War, a problem particular to his history. But as you know, the presumption is that baptism is valid unless proven otherwise."

"I have other concerns, Fr. Desmaris," said Mr. Sutherland.

"Of course."

"We do not permit couples who are cohabiting to be married in the Church. Those who are must separate and be celibate until the wedding. They must go to confession. They must attend some form of marriage preparation classes. How can we withhold permission to marry from others under these circumstances, and yet allow a vampire and a human who, by their own admission, are engaging in sexual relations outside of marriage? Vampires are promiscuous. That is no secret. And the human is participating in this fornication. They are actively participating in ongoing sin. In light of this, how can we condone this wedding?"

Fr. Fred sighed again. _I was wondering when that objection would come up. I wish I had a decent answer... Iggy, I wish you had chosen somebody else for this._ He looked down the table to Brother Bede. Bede remained sitting silently, obviously feeling out of place and out of his depth.

"Brother Bede." The monk looked up. _He looks exhausted._ "I'm afraid I must impose upon your friendship with Mr. Compton and Ms. Stackhouse yet again. Is there anything you can tell us that would clarify this situation?"

"I don't know, Father."

"Well, let's start with the basics. Can you confirm that they are cohabiting?"

"No, they're not. They are neighbors. But they are having a sexual relationship." Bede blushed, and the knuckles of his clasped hands went white. He felt extremely uncomfortable discussing the private lives of his friends, and felt that it was a fundamental betrayal of their trust.

"The general consensus is that vampires are extremely promiscuous. Despite it being common knowledge, is it, in fact, true?"

Bede nodded, and his blush deepened. "Yes. It is."

A murmur arouse around the table. Fr. Nikolaides spoke. "Even those of us not well versed in canon law know that this is a mortal sin, Fred. Mr. Sutherland has a valid point. The Church cannot turn a blind eye to this behavior, and we simply cannot condone a wedding ceremony, Catholic or not, under these circumstances."

Bede was distraught. "But it's not their fault. They can't help it. William... you don't understand..."

The murmuring rose until it was now a cacophony of angry voices. It took several minutes for Fr. Desmaris to get the group under control.

...

Sookie walked up to table six where three teenagers were busy devouring some of Lafayette's double burgers. She didn't recognize them at all. They looked up at her approach.

"Hi. I'm Sookie Stackhouse. All y'all were looking for me?"

Jimmy swallowed hard. He had no idea what to expect, and he was surprised to see a pretty young woman only a few years older than himself. _She's so pretty...this can't be her. How could she be involved with that vampire and not be scared to death of him?_

"Uh, yeah." He looked at his friends, then slid out of the booth. "Do you have a minute?"

"Sure."

Walking a few feet away from the table, Sookie waited, her hands in the pockets of her apron. She watched as the young man reached into the front pocket of his jeans and pulled out a small package. "My dad asked me to deliver this."

Puzzled, Sookie took the item from his hand. "He did?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Who's it from?"

Jimmy swallowed. _Geeze. Dad will have a fit if I tell her, and that vampire will kill me, for sure._ "I'm supposed to tell you it's from an admirer."

Sookie smiled. She'd heard the teen's thoughts clearly, and the image in his mind was of Bill. _The poor kid. He's worried about disappointing his dad and he's terrified of Bill. _She tried to reassure him. "A secret admirer, huh? I never had one of those before. Thanks." Turning away, she put the package in her apron and went to pick up an order. It was starting to get busy with the early dinner crowd and, since she knew the gift was from Bill, she wanted to keep it to herself for just a little while before she had to put on an act for her coworkers.

...

By sheer force of will, Fr. Fred had gotten the members of the congregation to calm themselves. "Look. We have a job to do. I understand how difficult it is. But His Holiness has decided that these issues must be addressed. They must not, and shall not be put off any longer. It behooves us to do our best. We are not dealing with humans. We are dealing with vampires and, in this particular case, we are dealing with a vampire-human couple." He sighed. "We are supposed to be using this particular situation to address the general experience of vampires and try to come up with some answers."

"We don't even know if vampires _are_ people." A scripture scholar commented. "Do the scriptures even apply to them anymore?"

"An excellent question. Vampires are not human... but they were, once. That complicates the entire issue."

Dr. Ramirez said, "It would be easier to deal with ET. At least then we would be trying to figure out how to respond to something completely alien. But this... this is ridiculous. They were human, but now they're not. They were alive, but now they're not... sort of. They're dead, but they can still die a 'true death.' How are we supposed to decide? It's an impossible situation. I feel like I'm pushing a rope."

Fr. Desmaris was thoughtful. "My dear doctor, you are exactly right." He looked around the table, catching the eyes of each member in turn. "We can be thankful that we are not required to explain everything, or to answer every question. We are here simply to make a beginning. And as it happens, we have been given the opportunity to begin by examining the request of a single vampire and a single human who wish to be married before God. " He indicated Brother Bede. "Brother Bede..."

The monk looked up.

"Earlier, when Fr. Nikolaides and Mr. Sutherland expressed their opinion," said Fr. Fred, " you were trying to tell us something. Would you please continue?"

Bede nodded. That he was uncomfortable was evident by his expression. "I had the opportunity to talk to both Sookie and William about their... relationship." He took a deep breath before continuing. "Sookie explained to me that feeding triggers sexual arousal in a vampire. It's nearly impossible for vampire to feed without becoming sexually involved with their... their donor, although it is easier when they use the synthetic blood."

"Then perhaps they should stick to the synthetic blood alone."

Brother Bede looked up, but he couldn't recall the name of the speaker. He sighed. "No, that's not possible. Apparently, although it supplies basic nutrition for a vampire, it is distasteful at best and vile at worst. Many simply cannot tolerate it, and others refuse. Even a vampire subsisting primarily on synthetic blood eventually needs to supplement his or her diet with genuine, human blood."

"And feeding is what triggers the sexual response?" asked Dr. Ramirez.

Bede nodded, and Dr. Ramirez continued. "If this is true, then it would appear that we are dealing with some aspect of vampire physiology and not a sin of the will. What is promiscuity in humans may be no more sinful for a vampire than a sneeze is for a human."

The canon lawyer said, "But that hardly excuses Ms. Stackhouse."

"Sookie... Ms. Stackhouse... " said Brother Bede, "is a very perceptive, very loving woman. She knows when Mr. Compton is in need of blood and offers herself. She is quite genuinely concerned for his well being, as is he for hers." Bede paused. Even though Bill and Sookie were no longer bonded by blood, he could not explain it to the congregation. He had no doubt that do so would be to break a confidence. "I have never seen two people so willing to sacrifice themselves for each other."

Fr. Desmaris considered the monk's comments in silence, then stood to dismiss the congregation. "I know you are all discouraged by the overwhelming nature of our task, but I believe we have made a fine beginning. We have discovered that this particular vampire still has a soul. That's incredible. If it is so for one, it may be so for others. This is no small accomplishment! If we do nothing else, we have still made great progress. So, I am adjourning the congregation for the next three weeks. We all need time to digest what we have heard and to gather our thoughts. As usual, I encourage you to meet with each other informally during that time. I will be available should you need to discuss anything in the meantime." As the group broke up, he addressed the monk. "Brother Bede, walk with me."

...

Later in the evening, after the worst of the dinner rush had come and gone, Sookie leaned against the bar near the pass where she could watch her remaining tables in case she was needed. She was joined by Arlene and by Tara who was tending the bar. From her apron pocket, she pulled out the small package she had received earlier.

"What's that?" asked Arlene.

"It's from those kids that were waiting for me. One of them said he was supposed to deliver it."

"I just love presents. Who's it from?"

Grinning, Sookie said, "It seems I have a secret admirer."

"No shit?" said Tara. "I hope it ain't some stalker."

Arlene made a face. "Leave it to you, Tara, to take all the fun out of something." She nudged Sookie. "Well, come on. Don't keep us all waiting. Open it up!"

Sookie obliged and removed the plain paper to find a small box. Opening it, she took out a velvet box.

"Oooh, Sookie! That looks like jewelry! I'm on pins and needles already!" exclaimed Arlene.

Tara and Arlene crowded around as Sookie opened the velvet jewelry box. Inside were a pair of earrings, prompting an "Oh my Lord" from Sookie and a look of shock from Arlene.

"Damn!" said Tara. "Those look real."

"Believe me, Tara, I know jewelry, and those are real." Arlene took the box from Sookie's hands. "Those are real diamonds, and I'll bet any money those are real rubies."

Sam came out to the front of the house. "What are all y'all standing around for? Can't you find anything to clean?"

"This is more important than cleaning, Sam," said Tara. "Sookie got a present from somebody."

"Yeah? From who?"

"I don't know," said Sookie, as she retrieved the box from Arlene. Though her answer was a lie, her shock was entirely genuine.

Arlene interrupted. "Tara thinks it's a stalker. But no stalker sends real diamonds."

"What?" Wiping his hands on a towel, he approached and looked over Sookie's shoulder. "Hell, those are nice."

"Don't just stand there, Sookie." said Arlene. "Put 'em on!"

Had Sookie not known they were from Bill, she would never have accepted such a gift. Even so, she was uncomfortable with such obviously expensive jewelry, so her reluctance was only partly feigned. "I... I don't know if I should. I mean, they're so expensive. I only have a couple pair of gold studs, and even those have fake stones. I don't know if I'm comfortable wearing something so nice."

Tara urged her. "All the more reason to wear them. It's about time y'all had something nice happen to you. Besides, here comes Lafayette, and if you don't put 'em on, he's gonna."

"He's gonna what?" The cook sauntered up to the pass. "What you got there, Sooks?" She turned and showed him the box. "Damn straight I'll wear 'em. You been holding out on us. Where'd you get a sugar daddy to send you such nice presents? Y'all gotta introduce me."

Prodded by the encouragement of her friends, Sookie relented. She took off her plain pearl studs and handed them to Arlene while Tara removed the earrings from the box and handed her the first one. A little self-conscious, Sookie slipped the post into her earlobe and clipped on the back. She then put on the second one, and waited for her friends' assessment.

Tara let out a low whistle. Diamond studs in white gold sparkled in the light of the bar. A diamond baguette hung from each and was finished with a drop consisting of a single, pear-shaped ruby. The earrings were small, but elegant, and were perfectly suited to the wearer.

"Damn, hooker. Those sure do look fine on you," said Lafayette, envy apparent in his voice and his expression.

"Are they OK on me? Really?"

"Sookie, I never would have thought a blonde could wear red like that, but they really do look nice on you." Arlene smiled as she spoke.

"I need a mirror..." Sookie ran to the restroom to see for herself, leaving her friends standing at the pass.

"Well, well, well," said Tara. "I wonder what's going on now." She looked at the others in turn. "All y'all don't think she's getting into trouble again, do you?"

Sam answered. "Could be. But it's nice to see her happy again. She hasn't been herself for months. But we should keep an eye out, just in case." He watched as each person nodded in response. "Now, the break is over. All y'all get back to work. I got a bar to run."

Lafayette went back to cooking. Tara huffed at Sam and returned to the bar, while Arlene simply rolled her eyes and responded with an exasperated "Yes, Sam."

...

Sookie looked in the mirror, admiring the gems that hung from her ears and trying not to cry. She was overwhelmed by the gift. As much as she knew that Bill loved her, she wasn't used to such extravagance, especially for no reason. She wondered if she should even wear them. It wasn't like she went anyplace worthy of such adornment. _They're probably worth more than my car..._ she thought _...though that wouldn't take much._ She tried to imagine a place suitable to wear the earrings, but she couldn't. "So," she said aloud to herself, "I guess I'll just have to wear them everywhere." _And I'll have to think of a proper way to thank Bill._ With a large grin lighting her face, she wiped her eyes and returned to finish her shift.

...

"Are you all right, Bede?" Fr. Fred queried the monk quietly as they walked through the echoing halls of the Angelicum.

"No, not really, Father." He searched for the words. "I feel like I am betraying William and Sookie. They confided in me, as friends, and I don't believe I should be gossiping about them to a roomful of strangers... especially about private matters." He blushed again, his discomfort obvious.

"You understand that this is precisely why you are so valuable to the congregation, don't you? You are the only one, outside of Mr. Compton and Ms. Stackhouse themselves, who can answer these questions for us. And Mr. Compton specifically gave his permission for you to do so."

He nodded. "I know. But it still feels _wrong._ Especially discussing... well, discussing their sex life."

"I see. But today's meeting must have impressed upon you how critical it is. We are going to have to accept the fact that human morals do not necessarily apply to non-humans, and may not apply to humans involved with them, either."

"Like Sookie."

"Like Sookie." They walked in silence until they exited the environs of Angelicum and stopped under a tree. Indicating a bench beneath it, Fr. Desmaris invited the monk to sit.

"Bede, I know this is difficult. But all this..." He indicated the Angelicum and the Vatican beyond with a wide gesture. "This is about more than earthly concerns. We get mired in politics and scandals, egos and sin. But that's not what it's about. It's about bringing the Savior to each individual. It's about saving souls."

Looking down at his feet in their scruffy sandals, Bede nodded.

"Are you willing to let your personal discomfort keep your friend from heaven? Eventually, even vampires meet the true death, as they call it. And each one will have to stand before his or her Creator. We need to know how to help them be ready when that happens, or we fail in our duty to the Lord. This is about more than a wedding, at least for us, and for His Holiness."

"I understand."

"If you are uncomfortable speaking about these things before the congregation in general, then would you be willing to speak to me, alone? We need so desperately to understand these creatures. We know nothing, really."

Bede nodded, embarrassed.

"Then tell me what is was that you were unable to say in front of the others."

"Bill and Sookie's sexual relationship. If you could see them together... I know that they are not married, but I don't see how they could be more devoted to each other. As much as I want them to wed, it seems almost superfluous. I don't think it will change them at all."

"No, but it will change the community. A wedding is an outward sign to the world that a couple has made a commitment to each other. This ceremony will be for less for them than for the people around them. I think most people forget that. They get so caught up in the drama of the ceremony they forget what it is for. They will need the support of their community when their marriage becomes public. There will be those who think it's an unholy union."

Bede looked up with a start. "Unholy? How can it be? Do they know them at all?"

"Probably not. But just the fact that the couple consists of one who is human and one who is not will be enough to anger a great many people. And they surely will deny that your friend as a soul."

"But we know otherwise...!"

"Yes. And that's why they will need the strength of the church behind them, even if they are not Catholic."

"I had no idea it would be this complicated."

"I'm sure you didn't. But I think Mr. Compton did."

...

The remainder of Sookie's shift went well. She was excited by her gift from Bill and, even if she couldn't tell anyone who it was from, her face showed how happy she was, and that translated itself into better tips. Her mood was infectious, and each of her customers felt just a bit happier after she had waited on them than they had when they had come in. Even the mood of her coworkers was lightened. Just seeing her flit from table to table with her light step made them feel better. It eased most of their worry for her.

After closing the bar, each of them went their separate ways. Sookie was still happy and excited as she pulled her car out of the lot, determined to head to Bill's as soon as she got home and make sure everything was ready for his return. As she accelerated toward home in her little Gremlin, she was making plans.

It was the last thing she remembered.


End file.
